Meaning of holiday candles?

Question

What do the colors (three purple and one pink) candles on the Christian Advent wreath mean? What about the candles on the Manorah? Or for Kwanza? And if special candles are lit for Ramadan, what do they mean? I am curious as to the meaning of lighting candles for these different holidays.

Answer 1

CHRISTIAN ADVENT WREATH:

1st candle - (purple) "candle of hope"
We can have hope because God is faithful and will keep the promises made to us. Our hope comes from God. (Romans 15:12-13)

2nd candle - (purple) "candle of preparation"
Preparation means to 'get ready'. "Help us to be ready to welcome You, oh God!"
(Luke 3:4-6)

3rd candle - (pink) "candle of joy"
The angels sang a message of joy! (Luke 2:7-15)

4th candle - (purple) "candle of love"
God sent his only Son to earth to save us, because he loves us! (John 3:16-17)

5th candle - (white) "Christ candle"
The white candle reminds us that Jesus is the spotless lamb of God, sent to wash away our sins! His birth was for his death, his death was for our birth! (John 1:29 and John 3:1-8)

Setting aside a few minutes each day during Advent to 'light' the candle(s) and worship will help everyone in the family to get ready for Jesus' birthday celebration! On the fourth Sunday before Christmas Day burn the first candle, read the Scripture references, sing a carol and pray. On the next Sunday, you will burn the first and second candle. Continue in this manner until the Sunday before Christmas when you will burn all four candles. On Christmas Day you burn the "Christ Candle", signifying that Jesus has come!

--------------------------

MENORRAH:

Hanukkah commemorates the purification of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 B.C. following the dramatic and unexpected Maccabean conquest over Syria. The most important holiday observance is the kindling of the Hanukkah candles on the menorrah, or hanukkiya, a nine-branch candelabra. The burning candles honor the miracle of how a tiny cruse of sacred oil burned for eight days when there was only enough oil for one, after the Temple of Jerusalem was defiled by the Syrians. The ninth candle is used to light a new candle each night ending with the lighting of all eight candles on the last day of Hanukkah. The lighting of the menorrah symbolizes the light of religious, national and cultural freedom won by the Maccabees and for all who followed.

------------------------

KWANZAA:

Kwanzaa is a seven-day holiday celebrated by many African-Americans living in the United States. It's a time for reflecting upon one's African roots, as well as one's present-day life.

The celebration is based on festivals in Africa and concentrates on the need for unity of family, community, and race, as well as the need for self-determination. Dr. Maulana Karenga, a professor at the California State University, originated Kwanzaa in 1966.

To prepare for Kwanzaa, a straw place mat is put on the table, along with a candle holder with seven candles — one black (to represent African-American people), three red (to represent their struggles), and three green (to represent hope for the future). Fruit, ears of corn (one for each child in the family), assorted gifts, and a communal cup are other items traditionally placed on the table during the celebrations.

Each day before the evening meal, family and friends gather around the table for the ceremonial lighting of the candles. One person pours water or juice from the unity cup into a bowl. That person drinks from the cup and raises it high saying, "Harambee," which means "Let us all pull together." All repeat, "Harambee!" seven times and each person drinks from the cup. Next, the names of African-American leaders and heroes are called out, while everyone reflects upon the accomplishments of these role models. The ceremony concludes with a lavish meal.

------------------------------------

RAMADAN:

I don't know if candles are lit during Ramadan, it lasts a month long.

Answer 2

The candles of the Advent wreath are purple and pink (actually "rose") (or white with colored decoration). People have applied themes to each candle to provide a variety of subjects to contemplate. One scheme is Faith, Joy, Love and Hope. Others are: Prophets, Bethelehem, Shepherds and Angel, or Patriarchs, Prophets, John the Baptist and Mary. All of these are recent additions to the observation. Originally, the candles represent the traditional 4000 years of waiting for the Christ. The purple stands for royalty (or the penitence of unfulfilled longing). The rose stands for joy in anticipation after Advent is half over. The third Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete" (Joy) Sunday.

The candles of Hanukkah can be any color. It's all about the counting. On the first day, the candle furthest to the right is lit (as well as the shamash (servant candle). In the second day, the rightmost two are lit, etc. Normally the candles are small and designed to burn all the way down each night, as one wouldn't feel right blowing them out. The candles represent the eight days of the Hanukkah miracle. After the Greeks were expelled, the Temple was to be reconsecrated, but there was only one day's supply of blessed oil for the sanctuary lamp and it took eight days to prepare more. Yet the oil lasted for the full eight days. Each day, the Menorah is a little brighter with the addition of another lighted candle.

The seven candles in the Kwanzaa kinara are arranged with green on one side, red on the other and black in the middle. The lighting sequence is from the center outward. The colors are traditional African colors, black for the people, red for their struggle, and green for the future and hope. The candles are lit, one more each day, in this order:
Umoja (Unity) black
Kujichagulia (Self-determination) red
Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility) green
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics) red
Nia (Purpose) green
Kuumba (Creativity) red
Imani (Faith) green

There is no candle tradition in Ramadan. The Muslim calendar is strictly lunar and its celebrations cycle backwards through the solar year, so there is no "winter" celebration. Ramadan will progress through October, September and etc. during the next few years.

Answer 3

The four candles on an Advent wreath are for the four Sundays in Advent. Three are purple for Advent I, II and IV. The pink candle is for Advent III, or "Rose Sunday". It's also called Gaudete Sunday, as the first word in Latin for the Traditional Latin Introit Psalm is "Gaudete", or "Rejoice".

There is also a Rose Sunday in Lent. Those are the only two Sundays of the year where rose colored vestments are worn.

Answer 4

The candles on the hannukah menorah relate to the 8 days of the miracle of the oil. The first day is for finding a cruse of pure oil enough to burn for 1 day, the remaining for the miracle of the oil burning for 7 more.

The candles of Kwanza relate to the 6 principles that kwanza is supposed to be about.

Answer 5

I don't know, but there was something called, The festival of lights. I like burning candles all year round. Thank God for Dollarama.

Answer 6

http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/religion/re0132.html

.