Candles are the one supply every church buys all year, and the one where the label matters most. The same two words, altar candle, cover a 51% beeswax candle made for the Roman Rite and a decorative taper that drips on the linens. This guide explains what the terms mean and how a sacristan sizes an order.
Beeswax, stearine and the 51% rule
For Catholic use the long-standing norm in the United States is that altar candles contain at least 51% beeswax, with the remainder a stearine or paraffin blend. Candle makers print the percentage on the box: 51% beeswax, 100% beeswax, or stearine. Many dioceses leave the choice to the pastor, but 51% beeswax remains the default for the candles on the altar itself.
Beeswax burns slower and cleaner than paraffin and holds a straight flame with less smoke. Stearine candles, made from a hardened vegetable or animal fat, are rigid, drip little and cost less. They are common for congregational candles, Advent sets and processions, where hundreds of candles are lit at once and the beeswax rule does not apply.
The practical difference is burn time. A 51% beeswax altar candle burns roughly three to four hours per inch of length, while a stearine candle of the same size burns faster. Makers publish burn tables for each size, and the table is the figure to trust over any general rule.
Sizes that fit the candlesticks
Altar candles are sold by diameter and length, written as 7/8 x 12, 1 1/2 x 16 and so on. The diameter must match the socket of the candlestick or the brass follower that sits on top. A follower that is too large slides down the candle; one that is too small will not seat. Measure the socket before ordering, and buy followers in the same diameter as the candles.
Common altar sizes are 7/8 inch and 1 1/8 inch in diameter for everyday Mass, 1 1/2 and 2 inches for high altars and Easter, and 3 inches for a Paschal candle. Lengths run from 8 to 24 inches. Taller candles need a follower to keep the wax pool level; without one the wax runs down the side and shortens the candle's life.
Sanctuary and votive lights
The sanctuary lamp that burns near the tabernacle is usually a 7-day or 8-day candle in a glass or plastic cylinder, dropped into a ruby or clear globe. One is lit per week, so a parish needs 52 a year plus spares. Plastic-shell candles are lighter and cheaper to ship; glass runs cleaner and is reusable in some holders.
Votive lights are the small candles in racks before a statue. They come in 10-hour and 15-hour sizes, sold by the gross, and in 5-day and 6-day glass versions for a devotional stand. The count a parish uses depends on the stand: a 25-cup stand with weekday traffic can use several boxes a month.
Congregational candles for Christmas Eve and the Easter Vigil
Candlelight services need one candle per person plus a drip protector, the paper or plastic disc that catches wax. Kits sell the two together in counts of 50 to 1,000. Order by seating, not by registered parishioners: a parish of 800 families may seat 400 at a single Christmas Eve Mass.
Stearine or paraffin tapers are the usual choice here because they are rigid and cheap. Lengths of 4 to 6 inches last through a service. For the Easter Vigil, where the candles stay lit longer, choose the 6-inch size.
Advent and the Paschal candle
An Advent set is three purple candles and one rose, or four purple with a white Christ candle for the wreath's centre. Church-size sets use 1 1/2 inch or larger candles, 12 to 17 inches long, so they last the four weeks with daily lighting at Mass. Smaller sets suit a side chapel or a home.
The Paschal candle is bought once a year, before Lent ends. It is sized to the stand: a 2 x 36 or 2 1/2 x 36 candle for most parishes, 3 inches and up for a large church. Decorated candles carry the year, the cross and alpha and omega already applied; plain candles take a wax transfer. Refillable shells with a liquid-paraffin insert exist for parishes that want the look without the cost of a new candle each year.
What a parish uses in a year
| Item | Typical annual quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Altar candles, 7/8 x 12, 51% beeswax | 4 to 8 boxes of 24 | Daily Mass with two candles; more for a high altar |
| Sanctuary candles, 7-day | 52 plus spares | One per week, lit continuously |
| Votive lights, 15-hour | 6 to 12 boxes per stand | Depends on devotion and traffic |
| Congregational candles with protectors | 1 per seat, 2 services | Christmas Eve and Easter Vigil |
| Advent set | 1 per wreath | Order by mid-November |
| Paschal candle | 1 | Order in January; sizes sell out |
| Lighting tapers | 2 to 4 boxes | Wax or wood, for the candle lighter |
Candles do not expire, but they soften in heat. Store boxes flat in a cool sacristy cabinet, away from radiators, and rotate stock so the oldest boxes are used first.
Accessories worth buying with the candles
- Followers in the candle's diameter: brass caps that keep the wax pool level and stop drips.
- Lighting tapers, wax or wood, for a long-handled candle lighter; a box lasts months.
- A lighter and snuffer with a reach of 18 inches or more for altar candles behind a rail.
- Liquid paraffin and refillable shells for parishes that switch to oil candles: the shells look like wax and are refilled from a bottle.
Questions
Are 51% beeswax candles required?
In the United States the customary norm for altar candles at Mass is at least 51% beeswax, and most dioceses follow it. Candles for the congregation, Advent wreath and processions are not bound by it. Check with the diocesan liturgy office if unsure.
How long does a 7/8 x 12 altar candle last?
Makers quote roughly 12 to 15 hours of burn time for a 51% beeswax candle of that size with a follower. Without a follower it burns faster and unevenly.
Can plastic-shell sanctuary candles be used in a glass globe?
Yes. Both plastic and glass 7-day candles are made to drop into a standard ruby or clear sanctuary globe. Check the globe's inside diameter against the candle's listed width.
When should the Paschal candle be ordered?
By January. Decorated candles with the current year are produced in limited runs and the popular sizes sell out before Lent.