What’s inside my church? Flowers, candles brighten God’s house

Pictured above: Archbishop Gregory Aymond lights the paschal candle in front of St. Louis Cathedral during his first Easter Vigil as archbishop of New Orleans – on April 3, 2010. (Clarion Herald file photo by Frank J. Methe)

By BETH DONZE
Clarion Herald

FLOWERS

Flowers and greenery bring life to our Catholic churches and remind congregants of the special “meal” to which they are invited every Sunday as a family of faith.

Church flowers are cared for and continually replaced by lay people who volunteer for a ministry called the Altar Society or the “Liturgical Environment” committee. In addition to beautifying the church, these volunteers also help keep the church clean and take care of the many linens, vestments and other sacred items used in the Mass.

During Lent, flowers are not placed in the sanctuary in observance of the somber, penitential tone of the season. In their place, the pastor may choose to incorporate simple decorative elements, such as a fallen cross draped in a purple sash, or bare branches tucked inside earthenware pots.

CANDLES

Lighted candles remind us of Christ “the Light of the World,” set a reverent tone inside church and represent the prayers and hopes of the faithful.

Look at the various candles burning inside your church:

• Candles known as “votives” may be lit by congregants before or after Mass as a sign of their prayers and offerings to God.

• In some Catholic churches, the altar server will carry a candle to the lectern to call attention to the “light” shed by the Gospel.

• Candles illuminate the eucharistic table (the altar) – the all-important site of the consecration.

• A special lantern called the sanctuary lamp stays lit to signify that Christ is present in the tabernacle, even when Mass is not being celebrated. This lamp  is extinguished on Good Friday, when the Eucharist is removed from the tabernacle.

• The paschal candle is blessed and lit at the Easter vigil. Its flame is used to light the smaller candles of congregants as they re-enter the darkened church to announce Christ’s victory over death. The paschal candle remains lit throughout the Easter season and is also used during baptisms and funerals.