Church Candles

Advent Candles & Wreaths

The Advent wreath holds three purple candles and one rose candle. One more is lit each Sunday of Advent, with the rose candle for Gaudete Sunday. Church sets differ from home sets mainly in size. Tapers run 12 in or 16 in tall at 1 1/2 in across, while pillar sets reach 3 x 17 in. Wax may be 51% beeswax, stearin or paraffin. White Christ candles for the center and brass wreath frames, standing, hanging or tabletop, complete the display.

Match the candles to the frame's sockets. The F.A. Dumont standing wreath takes four 1 1/2 in candles and a 3 in center candle. That fits the Autom, Concordia and beeswax taper sets and either 3 in Christ candle. Pillar sets such as the 3 x 17 in Elite Holiday candles stand on a flat ring. The Sudbury 18 in frame sits on a table. Choose 16 in tapers for a floor wreath in a large nave and 12 in tapers for a hanging or tabletop wreath.

9 advent candles & wreaths

The Advent candle sets, Christ candles and wreath frames below are listed by size and material.

Side by side

The specifications the makers publish, in one table.

Questions before you order

Which Advent candle is lit each week?

The first purple candle is lit on the first Sunday of Advent, with a second purple candle added the next week. The rose candle is lit on the third Sunday, Gaudete Sunday, and the last purple candle on the fourth. Each week all previous candles are relit, so the first candle burns the longest.

What size Advent candles fit a church wreath?

Measure the socket or ring on the frame. Most church wreaths use 1 1/2 in sockets, which take the 12 in and 16 in tapers listed here. The center socket is usually 3 in for the Christ candle. Flat rings with no socket take pillar candles such as the 3 in x 17 in set.

Will one set of Advent candles last the whole season?

Usually, if the candles are lit only for Mass and extinguished afterward. A 16 in taper burned at all weekend Masses over four weeks loses most of its height. Parishes with many Masses often buy two sets. Stearin and beeswax candles tend to hold up better than soft paraffin in a warm church.

What is the Christ candle and when is it lit?

The Christ candle is a white candle placed in the center of the wreath and first lit at Christmas. It is burned through the Christmas season at Masses. The Will & Baumer and Emkay Christ candles here are 3 in across and 11 or 12 in tall. Both suit the center socket of a standing wreath.