Orthodox Christian Icons and Candle Stands for Churches: Holy Symbols in Worship

Let’s take a look at the religious and artistic meanings of the orthodox religious icons and candle stands in the church. These are factors that effectively raise the experience of worship and connection with the divine to a higher level within the Orthodoxy.

Essentially, Orthodox religious icons and church candle stands are important elements that contribute to the very fabric of Orthodox worship but also hold a world of special symbolism adding to the overall spiritual experience.

The Importance of Orthodox Holy Icons
They are more than decorations; they are a vision of the divine itself, a place for focusing one's prayer and contemplation. Divine images are an integral part of personal devotions and the Liturgy in the representation of Christ, the Virgin Mary, and the various Saints; they help believers step into living communion with the Saints.

Spreading light through Candle Stands
Candle stands used in a church, whether plain or ornate, help to spread light and radiance on holy images and altars found in the church. It symbolizes the light that Christ brought into the world. This flickering flame is a symbol of the burning faith of the congregation and of the impermanence of earthly life, set against the eternal light of heaven.

Material and Workmanship
Orthodox religious icons and church candle stands are sacred in nature and, therefore, are meant to be used to their very best. Great care is taken to make religious icons, as by tradition these are done on pieces of wood whose very workmanship is centuries old, whereas candle stands are made in the shape and embellished to stand testimony to the glory of God.

Therefore, the icons of the Orthodox religion and the church candle stands raise the level of worship, enhance the general appearance of the church, and remind all of those who enter its walls of the great, profound truths of Orthodoxy. The attitude toward divine objects should bring forth belief in a relationship toward a greater communion with the divine through those objects.