23/04/2022
Xristos Anesti
Lighting Candles During Holy Saturday Service
During the service, the church goes completely dark and everything is quiet. Eventually, the priest lights the first candle. Soon, the church is illuminated with the light of everyone’s candles. The candles remain lit during the remainder of the service. If the candle burns out, it is quickly relit during the service. The ultimate goal is to keep the candle lit for as long as possible Taking the Lit Candle Home
Inevitably, those that attend the service always come home with their lit candles. It is so important that the candle remains lit. This is part of the tradition, but the candle flame that is lit during the special Holy Saturday service is something that is said to be extra special because it symbolizes Christ’s resurrection. This can get tense because it is difficult transporting a lit candle in a moving vehicle. If you are walking home it can be even harder because there is always a risk that the wind will blow it out.
Blessing the Home with the Candle
Upon returning home, they then walk around their homes, both inside and out, saying “Christos Anesti”, which means “Christ is Risen”. They may also sing the Christos Anesti hymn. They make sure to cover every part of the house, as well as the main areas outside. The details of how a home is blessed vary from family to family. Some only bless the doorways, others walk around with the candle in order to cover a larger area.