Entering the Orthodox church, a believer sees many candles and lamps, burning in front of the holy images. This practice of lighting candles in front of icons is now universally applied in all Orthodox parishes.
The candle in the Orthodox understanding is a symbol of human sacrifice to God. In addition, lighting a candle in front of a holy image has a certain meaning and carries a spiritual meaning. So, the burning of a candle reminds a person that his prayer should be "hot", uttered from a pure heart. At the same time, the thoughts of the believer should ascend “grief” - to the sky, in the likeness of how the flame of a burning candle necessarily rises up regardless of the position in which the person holds the candle.
The practice of lighting fixtures dates back to the Old Testament. The book of Exodus, which is part of the Pentateuch, has evidence of God's command to Moses to introduce the practice of lighting the lamps before the ark of the covenant, in which the Ten Commandments were located. Such a decree, according to the Old Testament, was to be “an everlasting statute for generations” (Exodus 27:21). In addition, Jesus Christ in his parables symbolically spoke of the lit lamps, symbolizing a special burning. For example, in the parable about the expectation of the bridegroom by the virgins. In another place of the Gospel, it can be read that a burning candle is a source of light in a dark room, therefore human affairs must also be bright for “illumination” by the gracious works of the world.
Candles in front of holy icons are also lit in a sign of human involvement with God, divine grace and holiness. That is why there should not be a formal attitude to the laying of candles in the temple. The process itself must necessarily be accompanied by prayer. You can’t put candles with a “cold” heart, following the accepted tradition, because in this case it turns into a ritual that is absolutely meaningless for a Christian.
