The candles represent the sacrifice that we do for God; before Christ
people slaughtered animals as a sacrifice.
With
the ressurection of Christ, the sacrifice is represented with
the purchase of a candle for the health of each member of the
family or friend. Also we light candles for the soul of
a deceased Orthodox person.
With
this purchase you give something of your own to God, and at the
same time you help the House of God, which is explained in the
New Testament by St. Paul the Disciple. When Christians
go into the church, they buy and light several candles which also
represent the light of Christ and the hope of everlasting life.
When we light a candle, we pray for the person for whom
we lit it for. So the candles have to be respected and to let
them burn for respected times.
