|
2025 Lenten Series ~ Each Wednesday at 10:30AM and on-demand
Experiencing God: Every Sense Engaged
Week 1: “See” Candles, Images/Icons, and Statues
Light
Light serves as a foundational symbol in Christian scripture and liturgy. It represents God’s presence, truth, and salvation. We find light in the opening of Genesis where God speaks light into the darkness. Christ is consistently portrayed as the “light of the world,” a theme echoed throughout the Gospels and central to the Nicene Creed. This symbolism manifests in various liturgical practices; such as, during the sacrament of Holy Baptism, where the baptized is illuminated by the light of Christ and receives a candle representing their new role in shining the light of Christ; and in feasts like Candlemas, where candles are traditionally blessed for use in church and the homes of the faithful. The power of light is particularly emphasized during nighttime vigils, such as those for Nativity, Pascha (Easter), and Pentecost, where candles illuminate the darkness, symbolizing Christ’s arrival, resurrection, and the descent of the Holy Spirit.
The use of candles is a tangible way for Christians to engage the spiritual significance of light through their sense of sight. The gradual illumination of the Advent wreath and the lighting of candles on Christmas Eve herald the arrival of Christ, the “everlasting light,” into a dark world. The Easter Vigil, with its newly kindled fire and the lighting of the Paschal candle, powerfully symbolizes Christ’s resurrection and His triumph over darkness, with candles for individual worshippers to share this light among the congregation. Similarly, the Feast of Pentecost, especially the traditional Vigil of Pentecost, connects the Paschal candle’s light to the resurrection and baptism, reinforcing its role in illuminating the faithful. Throughout these celebrations, candles serve as tangible expressions of spiritual light, guiding the faithful, dispelling darkness, and proclaiming the transformative power of Christ’s presence. Their flame can be useful for kindling and stirring faith in dark and cold places.
Icons/Images & Statues
The earliest examples of Christian images or icons—imago being the Latin and ikon being the Greek—date to the 2nd Century AD and are found in catacombs (chambers below Christian burial sites). The earliest statues date to the same time and place and are found on sarcophagi (ancient stone coffin). The images were simple; such as, a fish, lamb, or anchor representing Jesus; Mary and the young Jesus; or, three figures bearing gifts (the magi of Epiphany). As Christianity spread, the icons became more complex and pagan imagery was adopted and recast with Christian meaning; this helped the Church present the faith in a way non-Christians would understand more easily and brought a sense of familiarity to new converts. Just as each panel in the stained-glass windows of St. Mark’s tell a story, images and icons have been utilized by the Church to convey Christian stories and stir our faith in Christ through the centuries.
Eastern tradition on iconography includes the above with one additional piece. For the Eastern Church, icons are a window into heaven in that they physically represent the heavenly realm. They venerate icons not as an act of worship, which is reserved for God alone, but as a way of honoring God’s people, which in turn, also honors God. Martin Luther rejected this use of icons as it is not found in Scripture, but the idea that we are at all times surrounded by the heavenly realm and join the saints of every time and place in worship and prayer is still found in Lutheran liturgical practice; for example, when we pray the “whole heavenly host” it is typically a shortened form for a list including Mary, the Apostles, and others. Heaven is not someplace light years away. In Christ, we are forever surrounded by His love and the great cloud of witnesses. Images/icons and statues are a helpful faith-stirring reminder of this fact.
Candles and Icons at St. Mark’s
These photos from a typical All Saints liturgy at St. Mark’s Spanish service capture the use of icons as a means of stirring faith and candles as a reminder that the light of Christ dispels all darkness.
| 
