Church Candle Stands seen in the Orthodox Church

 

In a church, the lighting of candles can impart a sense of the Divine and is strongly associated with tradition and prayers. It is common to see different types of church candle stands such as the Dikiriy-Trikirys, Paschal Candleholders, and the Altar Candelabra. Here is a look at the significance of some of the different types of church candle stands in the Orthodox Church.

Dikiriy-Trikirys

The Dikiriy-Trikirys, also called the Dikirion and Trikirion are liturgical candlestands used to bless the clergy and the congregation in an Eastern Orthodox Church by Bishop. The Dikirion is a candlestand that can hold two candles, representing the dual nature of Jesus, wherein He is God who became man. The Trikirion holds three candles that represent the Holy Trinity. The Dikiriy-Trikirys are elaborately designed and are usually used in a hierarchical Divine Liturgy.

Paschal candlestands

Paschal candle stands, also called the paschal trikirion can hold three candles. Unlike the Dikiriy-Trikirys, which are only used by Bishops, the Paschal trikirionis are used by all Priests during the Paschal (Easter) vigil and other times. It is held by the Priest in his left hand during the chanting of the Paschal verses at the beginning of the Matins, Vespers, and Divine Liturgy. It is also used when the liturgical censer is used or when giving the Paschal greeting.

Altar Candelabra

Perhaps the most ornate of all the church candle stands is the Altar Candelabra. It is a candle stand that has seven branches. The design of the Altar Candelabra is detailed in the Bible with instructions for its construction. The Altar Candelabra will not be found in normal church supply stores, and they have to be sourced from special shops selling high-quality liturgical items.

Traditionally, the Altar Candelabra is supposed to be made of gold. But this may not be possible as brass or gold plating is often used instead. They may also have jewel inlays and icon representations. Since the design of the Altar Candelabra is given in the Bible, design variation is limited, but they may feature a few minor variations such as a one or two-leg candelabra or different sizes.