Altar Candles: Final Update

As of this week, the project is fully funded. Thank you to the generous donors that came forward to help us meet our goal! Because of your generosity, our altar and sanctuary is looking great!

The altar candlesticks are about 95% finished. Our craftsman is going ad another coat or two of polyurethane to strengthen the finish and ensure that they last for a very long time. He will take them back to the workshop over the summer to finish them up.

Why is the paschal candlestick so big?

The Paschal Candle, aka the Easter Candle is meant to represent Christ. Because of it’s significance, the paschal candle should stand out from the rest of the candles. Due to the large size of our sanctuary, we decided that we needed a candle and stand that was to scale. The base of the new stand has two angels holding a shield with the monogram “IHS” which stands for “Iesus Hominum Salvator”, which means “Jesus, Savior of Men.” If you look closely, you can also find this inscription on the floor between the altar and the baptismal font. The elaborate carvings on the candlestick also mimic the century-old columns around our church. Though it might seem very large on its own, in the context of our church it is just the right size for the space.

Over the summer, we are going to look at some additional upgrades to our liturgical furnishings. stay tuned!

Jeremy Kiolbassa

Director of Music & Liturgy