Votive Candles
Saturday afternoons the confessionals were always open at St. Joseph's Church. After papers, I'd drop by and check out the lines. Usually, they were short, four or five in line in front of you. However, the Saturday before Easter the lines were 20 deep. Lots of 'catching up', I guess. Swearing was always a biggie for me. I got off easy. You know three Our Fathers and two Hail Marys, and I was on my way. Somedays though, I got distracted with dimes in my pocket and journeyed over to the side chapel and the small, red votive candles display. My grandfather had died recently, and if I had extra dimes, I'd plop one in the slot and light a flickering light for him. While out West, my sister and I lit candles for my Dad on his birthday at The Grotto. We bought candles at the gift shop and then placed them near the beautiful outside altar.
Life has changed.
Candles too.
These were $6 a candle.
I'd need a lot of dimes.
Memorial candles are such a nice custom. $6, not so nice.
ReplyDeleteYour grandfather was/is lucky to have you.
I was always curious what it's like in those confessionals; guess I'll never know.
For a 12 yr old, kinda scary.
DeleteThese are very large, decorative votive candles. I buy and use the white old-fashioned ones in a lovely candlelabra on my dining room table.
ReplyDeleteYou so often rekindle memories for me - the confessional box! Wow - could be a scary place waiting there in the dark for the wood panel to slide back. We always had to do a good act of confession too.
ReplyDeletewe just had the tiny red votive light ones in our old catholic church. :)
ReplyDeleteA touching story with a funny side!
ReplyDeleteAnd deep pockets.
ReplyDeleteSince I went to a Catholic school until the 5th grade, I had to go to confession every Friday with the rest of the class. I remember thinking that I had to think of something to confess and I couldn't think of anything I'd done wrong so I just made stuff up. They must have thought I was a bad little girl.
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DeleteNever been to confession, but I grew up with a lot of friends in the Catholic faith. I think confession would be kind of scary, even as an adult.
ReplyDeleteOur family was protestant, so no Catholic rituals for us. It's still peculiar to me when I step into a Catholic church on the odd occasion here.
ReplyDeleteI tend to refer to nuns as the Sisters Of Little Or No Mercy. I don't think they'd appreciate that.
Super shot Birdman!
ReplyDeleteLuv picturing you lighting a candle for your grandfather. Beautiful!
ReplyDeleteThat's a really nice picture and a touching story. I've wondered, though, whether the priests really thought the three Hail Marys would improve a person.
ReplyDeleteLovely post Birdman.
ReplyDeleteVery cool composition!
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