Will & Baumer
Will & Baumer 8 1/2 in Polar Vigil Candles, Box of 50
Box of 50 white Polar candles, 8 1/2 in tall by 1/4 in across, each supplied with a paper drip protector.
Church Candles
Candlelight Service Candles
Candlelight service candles are the slim handheld tapers passed through the congregation at Christmas Eve, the Easter Vigil and memorial vigils. Each comes with a drip protector that slides onto the candle to shield the hand. Products vary by candle length, from 4.25 in to 9 in, with most at 1/2 in diameter. Protectors are paper bobeches, white plastic discs or clear plastic shields. Wax is paraffin or stearine. Sets run from 50 to 1,000 candles.
Start with attendance and add about ten percent for ushers, choir and spares. Concordia Supply sells sets of 250 with paper, disc or clear shield protectors, and a 1,000 set for large congregations. The Cathedral stearine sets of 100, in 5 1/4 in and 9 in lengths, suit mid-size parishes. Short 4.25 in candles suit a service where the candles burn only for one hymn. Clear plastic shields suit outdoor vigils. Reusable plastic discs cut the yearly order to candles only.
8 candlelight service candles
The candlelight service sets below are listed by candle length, protector type and count.
Concordia Supply
Concordia 5.75 in Candles with Plastic Disc Protectors (250)
Set of 250 white 5.75 x 1/2 in congregational candles with reusable 3 in plastic disc drip protectors that catch wax runoff.
Concordia Supply
Concordia 4.25 in Candles with Paper Bobeches, Set of 250
Set of 250 short 4.25 x 1/2 in white candles with plain paper bobeche drip protectors meant for one service.
Concordia Supply
Concordia 5 in Candles with Plastic Holders, Set of 1000
Bulk set listed as 1,000 white 5 x 1/2 in candles with plastic drip holders that fully contain the wax during a service.
Concordia Supply
Concordia 5 in Candles with Clear Plastic Shields (250)
Set of 250 white 5 x 1/2 in candles fitted with clear 2.75 in flame-retardant plastic shields that can be reused.
Cathedral Candle Company
Cathedral Stearine Congregational Candles, 5 1/4 in (100)
Box of 100 stearine wax congregational candles, 17/32 x 5 1/4 in, each with a 3 1/2 in paper bobeche.
helly
Grcdoyvl 5 in Vigil Candles with Paper Protectors (200)
Box of 200 unscented white 5 x 1/2 in candles with 3 in heavy paper drip protectors; the maker notes they are not dripless.
Cathedral Candle Company
Cathedral Stearine Congregational Tapers, 9 in, Box of 100
Box of 100 stearine wax 9 in taper candles, each with a 3 1/2 in paper bobeche, for longer candlelight services.
Side by side
The specifications the makers publish, in one table.
| Product | Size | Unit Count | Color | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Will & Baumer 8 1/2 in Polar Vigil Candles, Box of 50 Will & Baumer | 8.5 inches (H) x 1.5 inches (W) | 50 | White | Check availability |
| Concordia 5.75 in Candles with Plastic Disc Protectors (250) Concordia Supply | 5.75 inches | 250 | White | Check availability |
| Concordia 4.25 in Candles with Paper Bobeches, Set of 250 Concordia Supply | 4.25 inches | — | White | Check availability |
| Concordia 5 in Candles with Plastic Holders, Set of 1000 Concordia Supply | Set of 1000 | — | White | Check availability |
| Concordia 5 in Candles with Clear Plastic Shields (250) Concordia Supply | 5" x 1/2" | 250 | Clear | Check availability |
| Cathedral Stearine Congregational Candles, 5 1/4 in (100) Cathedral Candle Company | 17/32 Inch x 5 1/4 Inch | 100 | White | Check availability |
| Grcdoyvl 5 in Vigil Candles with Paper Protectors (200) helly | 5 inch | 200 | White | Check availability |
| Cathedral Stearine Congregational Tapers, 9 in, Box of 100 Cathedral Candle Company | — | 100 | White | Check availability |
Questions before you order
How many candlelight service candles should a church order?
Order for the largest expected attendance plus about ten percent. Christmas Eve usually draws more than a normal Sunday, so use that number. Sets of 250 cover most parish churches; the 1,000 set covers a large church or several services. Leftover candles store well for the next year if kept flat and cool.
Are paper or plastic drip protectors better?
Paper bobeches are disposable and meant for a single service, so cleanup is quick. White plastic discs and clear plastic shields are described by Concordia as reusable, and the clear shield also blocks drafts. Plastic suits parishes that hold several candlelight services a year; paper suits a once-a-year Christmas Eve service.
Can drip protectors and candles be reused next year?
Plastic discs and shields can be wiped clean and kept with the spare candles. Paper bobeches are single use. Partly burned candles can be relit, but short stubs are awkward to hold. Most parishes keep the longer unused candles and discard the rest.
How are hundreds of candles lit quickly during a service?
Ushers light one candle per pew from the paschal candle or a taper, and each person tilts an unlit candle into a lit one. A tilted lit candle drips, so remind people to hold the lit candle upright. With this method a congregation of 250 is usually lit within one verse of a hymn.