How to Light a Candle for a Memorial Service
Memorial ceremonies are a large part of many people's lives. They can be independent ceremonies that honor one or many people on the anniversary of an event or part of a larger ceremony. Many engaged couples with deceased loved ones have a small memorial ceremony for those loved ones as part of the wedding to remember them and acknowledge that they would be present if possible.
Candles play a large part in most memorial ceremonies. Vigils involve entire crowds holding candles, while a smaller ceremony may only involve one. The common thread in these ceremonies is that the candles are rarely lit with matches. They are unreliable and take a lot of time to light. Other methods are generally accepted as proper.
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Instructions
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Make sure the candle or candles are ready before the ceremony even begins. Everyone who is supposed to be holding a candle should be, or all appropriate candle holders should be filled. Make sure the wicks are standing up straight for easy lighting.
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Say a short speech before lighting the candle. This may involve ritual words such as in the Jewish Yahrzeit memorial ceremony or an original speech created by the speaker or relative of those being remembered.
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Light the candle at the end of the speech with a taper lighter. These lighters have long metal tubes that protect the flame while the candle is being lit. For a more ritual look, light a separate candle with this lighter and light the memorial candle with the first candle.
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Instruct a vigil crowd to light each other's candles once the first candle is lit. Flames can be shared down rows with each person lighting the candle to their left or right. Once all the candles are lit, the rest of the ceremony or a moment of silence may commence.
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References
- Photo Credit candle holder image by Harvey Hudson from Fotolia.com
