Novena candles: lights in the darkness 🕯️
What are novena candles & how do I use them?
Novea candles burn for nine days & nights hence they are also called 9-day burners. Their name is therefore derived from the Latin novem, meaning 9. The novena candle is associated with the Christian novena. This is a series of nine days during which people pray to God, often in preparation for a feast day (e.g. the Pentecost or Christmas novena) or in memory of a saint. The candle reinforces the prayer.
Many also know the novena candle as part of All Saints' Day. The high day when we remember our beloved deceased.
Light in the darkness: comfort & strength
Besides preparing for a feast day, novena candles are also often burned to seek comfort or strength, or even a moment of meditation during difficult moments in life (e.g. death, illness, loss...). Novena burners therefore symbolise light in the darkness. You can burn a novena candle for yourself but also for a family member, friend, acquaintance... & express a wish or happiness for them.
Even non-believers can draw strength from a novena candle that is not linked to a specific saint. For example, we all know the tradition of lighting a candle before an exam or important test. Moreover, you do not have to use the candle only as a moment of comfort or remembrance; you can also light a novena candle out of gratitude.
Discover all our novena candles 👇
What types of day burners are there?
At Hermie, we only sell the genuine 9-day burners. But novena candles also come in variants of 3-day burners & 6-day burners.
Besides several burning times, the prayer candles also come in various colours (red or white) & images. So you can choose between the image of several saints (e.g. Saint Rita, Padre Pio, Padre Damien...) but they also come with a saying or wish (such as healing).
Each saint symbolises a specific problem or wish. For example, Saint Rita is the patron saint of hopeless cases and symbolises that nothing is impossible. Moreover, she offers support for exam anxiety. So for the students & parents among us, this year don't just "burn a candle" but our novena candle. But hey, there is also studying to be done 😉
Padre Pio, in turn, symbolises humility, mercy & simplicity. Many pilgrims witness miracles after visiting Padre Pio.
Quality & vegetable oil!
Our quality novena candles are odourless and made from pure & vegetable oil. So you won't suffer from black smoke or soot! The memorial candles provide a fairy flame during dark days.
Attention: beware of the novena candles you can buy from the well-known discount chains. Many times, the novena candles you find in these bargain shops are made of petroleum. This makes them spotty but also bad for your health. The candles leave behind black soot & also often do not burn for 9 days. And after all, that's what the novena is all about....
Do you buy from Hermie? Then you can expect novena candles at the best value for money!
Where can you place the novena candle?
These religious candles can be used indoors in a church, chapel or in your own home (e.g. next to a picture of a deceased loved one). So you don't need to go to a place of pilgrimage, such as Lourdes or Scherpenheuvel, to perform this ritual. Always put the 9-day torch in a safe place so that no children or pets can reach it.
Would you like to use the 9-day torch outdoors (e.g. on a tombstone)? You can, but we recommend placing a crown on the candle to protect it from rain & wind. Or place the candle in a closed lantern so that the wind cannot blow out the candle. This is directly also the difference between nove candles & grave candles or grave lights. The latter are resistant to weather & wind, while a novena candle is more often used indoors.
Fire safety
Of course, it is still fire, so keeping an eye on it can't do any harm, especially with pets & children around! Our novena candles are already protected by a transparent plastic casing but do you want to go about it even more safely? Then you can place them in a glass jar or lantern.