Dearest Father Angelo,

My name is Don … and I’m a newly ordained priest, I wanted to ask you if you could give me some information about the meaning of the number of candles in the liturgy, but especially for Adoration: why six candles for that and seven (which represent fullness and refer back to the vision of the seven candelabra in Revelation) for a Mass celebrated by a Bishop?

I thank you for your competence and love for the Church. I wasn’t able to find any information about this topic.

Thank you

Don …

Dear Don …

1. The old rubrics prescribed the presence of two candles for regular Masses, which were referred to as “low Masses” because they were celebrated in a low tone of voice.

Four candles were required for a sung Mass and six for solemn Masses and for Eucharistic Adoration.

Seven candles were supposed to be lit for a Mass celebrated by a Bishop.

2. Why the different number of candles?

Evidently, because of the increasing splendor the Church wanted to attribute to the Liturgy in its external and decorative aspects as well.

The greater splendor in the ornament of the altar and in the vestments and the increased brightness of lights emphasize the magnitude of what is being celebrated.

3. Why six candles for Eucharistic Adoration?

I’ll start off by saying that there’s nothing dogmatic in the explanation I’m about to give you. Aside from what I have said already, I will put forward the meaning of the number 6 according to Saint Thomas.

Here’s what our great Doctor says: “The perfection of the Divine works corresponds to the perfection of the number six, which is the sum of its aliquot parts, one, two, three; since one day is assigned to the forming of spiritual creatures, two to that of corporeal creatures, and three to the work of adornment” (Summa Theologiae, I, 74, 1).

In other words: the number six calls forth completeness, perfection.

The six candles, arranged in groups of three on each side, therefore evoke the highest perfection of worship.

Adoration is, in fact, the highest act of worship.

4. For a Mass celebrated by a Bishop, seven candles are arranged on the altar: three on one side and four on the other.

The seven lights are certainly a reference to the seven-branched candelabrum that God ordered Moses to place inside the Sanctuary (Ex 25:37). 

At the same time, they are references to the “seven spirits before [the] throne [of God]” (Rev 1:4).

Raphael talks about these seven spirits when, in revealing himself to Tobit, he says: “I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand and serve before the Glory of the Lord.” (Tobit 12:15).

These seven spirits are also represented as flaming torches, as in Rev 4:5: “From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings, and peals of thunder. Seven flaming torches burned in front of the throne, which are the seven spirits of God.” 

Therefore, the seven candles present in a Bishop’s Mass are references to the Liturgy of Heaven, that is celebrated on our altars in the Mass. 

In Heaven, Jesus Christ is the High Priest who entered the temple once and for all.

Here on Earth as well, Jesus Christ is the High Priest represented visibly by the one who has the fullness of the priesthood: the Bishop. 

5. There could be other explanations. However, like I said, these determinations are not a matter of dogma for the faithful. 

I wish you the best in your new ministry and I recommend you to the Lord.

Father Angelo

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