In all churches, on the Altar and on the Table of Oblations, also
behind the Altar and in front of the icons, lights are kept burning, not only
during evening and night services, but during day services as well. They
signify that the Lord gives us the light of truth, and that our souls burn with
the love of God and are penetrated with feelings of joy and devotion. It is
quite in accordance with this conception that the illumination of the church is
increased during solemn holiday services and decreased during penitential
services.
For the illumination of a church, two things are needed: oil and
wax. Oil (yielded by the fruit of the olive tree), is symbolic of grace,
indicating that the Lord sheds His grace on men, while men on their side are
ready to offer Him in sacrifice deeds of mercy. The pure wax, collected by the
bees from fragrant flowers, is used as a token that the prayers of men offered
from a pure heart are acceptable to God.
Of the candlesticks and candelabra used in the church, some are
portable and some stationary, all varying in the number of candles or lamps
which they bear. The candlesticks are always portable and carry one, two or
three candles. One candle reminds us that there is but one God, Who is the
Light Eternal; the candlestick with two candles is called Dikírion
(“two candles”), and indicates that in Jesus Christ are united two natures —
the divine and the human; that of three candles is called Trikírion
(“three candles”), and alludes, to the three persons of the Deity. There are
stationary candelabra, standing or suspended, in front of the icons, bearing
both oil lamps and wax candles. These are called candils or lampádas
if they carry only one candle; polycandils (“many lights”), if they
carry seven or twelve candles (seven candles in allusion to the seven gifts of
the Holy Spirit, and twelve in allusion to the Apostles); lastly panicandils
(“all light”) are those that carry more than twelve candles. Some times, if a panicandil
is made in the shape of a circle, garnished with candles, it is called khoros,
which means “a circle,” “an assembly.”