A Brief History of Processional and Altar Candles

Processions, as an element in all that is ceremonial, are to be found, as we should expect, in almost every form of religious worship. The example of the processions with the Ark in our shared Hebrew Scriptures, and the triumphant entry of our Savior into Jerusalem in the New Testament were probably not without influence upon the ritual of later ages. Even before the age of Constantine, the funeral processions of the Christians seem to have been carried out with a certain amount of solemnity. The solemn entrance of the celebrant as he proceeded from the sacristy to the altar, later as we progressed, was a procession on a smaller scale, but this also is minutely described in the first "Ordo", or rules of worship. The celebrant, or presider, was again surrounded by deacons and preceded by the subdeacons, one of whom swung a thurible filled with incense, and a conspicuous feature was the group of seven acolytes carrying large tapers (candles). Later, at the "little entrance" the Book of the Gospels is carried in by a deacon and accompanied by acolytes bearing torches. All of this is to say that there are several important times during our liturgy where the light of the Altar Candles is an important element in our respect for God and liturgy.

The Saint Miriam Altar Candles:

Our Altar Candles carry on the theme present in all of our beautiful pieces: The larger upright stock serves as reminder of God our Father. The smaller strand, woven together and around the larger, bears marks of scourging, this is Jesus. And, finally, the last piece curves at the top for a bit of whimsy and free-flowing style and reminds us of the Holy Spirit that comes to us daily. Together, they intertwine to form the Blessed Trinity! Our Iron bases are topped with solid natural beeswax candles to add form and function to the light of God!

The Saint Miriam Processional Cross:

Saint Miriam began in 2008 and unknown to us there was a lot happening that brought us together! One of the most enlightening was our processional cross. You see, Father Jim wanted each liturgical piece of furniture to have a ‘story’ behind it. So, he commissioned a local blacksmith to come up with a drawing for each piece. When the Altar and Processional Cross were done, we began to hold . The cross is made from ‘wood steel’ and while it looks like wood it is actually iron rods twisted into a branch shape. The idea was simple for Father Jim – the cross that Jesus hung on was not perfect. It was than likely two large tree branches of some sort. So, our cross was made imperfect, twisted, and yet beautiful…just like our lives!

After about year, Father went to work at the hospital where he serves as a trauma chaplain, and his boss showed him a video by Louie Giglio. Giglio introduces the molecular cellular structure called “laminin.” This stuff literally holds us together – holds our skin on and makes our organs work – and, it’s all because of this molecule in the shape of Jesus’ cross!

“Laminin” is a protein. Proteins are the basic building blocks of the body. We have not yet scratched the surface on the number and function of the proteins that can form in the body. Among those proteins we do “know,” whose identity we have isolated and whose importance we recognize, is a protein called “laminin.”

Laminin is a protein which has a distinctive shape, giving it the ability to adhere easily to other laminin molecules and thus producing “sheets” of protein. These long, strong sheets of laminin molecules are essentially the “glue,” the “stuff” that holds us together. Laminin keeps our separate organ systems bound together, yet kept apart. The cross-like shape of laminin is in the distinctive cross shape because there is an over-arching divine Creator guiding the universe, involved in all of existence, and according meaning and message to all life. Laminin does not echo Christ’s cross. The cross of Christ echoes laminin!

That which God designed to hold us together within our physical body works to hold us together spiritually as well. Each of us has a divine stamp on the cellular structure of our lives!

The Saint Miriam Processional Cross is designed of solid wood-iron and istwisted to form its unique and imperfect shape. It resembles wood and even has a leaf to show it is of God’s own created nature; and yet, it is imperfect and joins our Altar Table to show that beauty is found even in that which is less than perfect and made for God’s glory!


(For your own copy of this cross, please visit our products page and see “Saint Miriam Holding Cross”)

The Saint Miriam Thurible Stand:

Every good parish needs a thurible to throw a little incense! And, every good thurible needs a stand worthy if its function! Our Thurible Stand maintains the theme of the Alberto Giacometti and fuses together the larger strand from our Altar Candles to produce this unique shape and structure. It serves to remind us of the mystery of God and that our prayers, like incense, rise to meet God in Heaven where we will all be with God in glory one day. Until then, we relish in the smells and sights produced by these pieces.

The Saint Miriam Paschal Candle:

Our Paschal, or Easter, Candle is made of the same wood-iron from our processional cross in a three-strand thinner design. The flame of the Paschal candle symbolizes Christ as light of the world and his presence in the midst of his people. The Paschal candle is sometimes referred to as the "Easter candle" or the "Christ candle." The term "Paschal" comes from the word Pesach or Passover. The tall white candle in many ways signifies the Divine pillar of cloud that was present by day and the pillar of fire at night that led the Israelites from their slavery in Egypt in the Exodus. There are three stands, representing  the Holy Trinity, that arrive from deep within the ‘earth’ and rise to hold the Candle at it apex! The stunning piece is used during the holiest time of year for Christians, the Season of Easter, and is also present at all baptisms and funerals as a reminder that our birth and death are inseparable from the Life and Light of Jesus as our Christ and Savior!

The Saint Miriam Advent Wreath:

The origins of the Advent wreath are found in the folk practices of the pre-Christian Germanic peoples who, during the cold December darkness of Eastern Europe, gathered wreaths of evergreen and lighted fires as signs of hope in a coming spring and renewed light. Christians kept these popular traditions alive, and by the 16th century Catholics and Protestants throughout Germany used these symbols to celebrate their Advent hope in Christ, the everlasting Light. From Germany the use of the Advent wreath spread to other parts of the Christian world.

Traditionally, the wreath is made of four candles in a circle of evergreens. Three candles are violet and the fourth is rose, but four white candles or four violet candles can also be used. Each Sunday of Advent, the candles are lighted, -- one candle the first week, and then another each succeeding week until December 25th. A short prayer is said to accompany the lighting.

The Saint Miriam Advent Wreath is made of the same wood iron that is found in our other liturgical pieces except that ours is intertwined with thorns to represent the crown of thorns on Christ’s head. And, the center candle is a Resurrection Candle, and is also lighted each week of Advent. Together they remind us that as Christians our life and death all wound in the inextricable love and embrace of God.