St. Valentine Church
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    • Saints In Our Artwork >
      • Saint Valentine
      • January Saints
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      • March Saints >
        • Saint Casimir
        • Saint Patrick
        • Saint Joseph
      • April Saints >
        • Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr
        • Saint Bernadette Soubirious
        • Saint Adalbert of Prague (Saint Wojciech)
        • Saint Mark
        • Saint Catherine of Siena
      • May Saints >
        • Saint James, Son of Alphaeus
        • Saint Phillip
        • Saint Andrew Bobola
      • June Saints >
        • Saint Jadwica
        • Saint Anthony of Padua
        • Saint Methodius
        • Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
        • Saint Peter and Saint Paul
      • July Saints >
        • Saint Thomas the Apostle
        • Saint Maria Goretti
        • Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
        • Our Lady of Mount Caramel
        • Saint Kunegunda
        • Saint James the Apostle
        • Saint Anne, Mother of Mary
      • August Saints >
        • Saint John Vianney
        • Saint Dominic
        • Saint Jacenty
        • Saint Helena
        • Saint Pius X
        • Bartholomew the Apostle
        • Saint John the Baptist
      • September Saints
      • October Saints
      • November Saints
      • December Saints
    • Easter Candle
    • Triduum 2021
    • Blessing of Easter Food
    • Around the Church >
      • Front of the Church
      • Mosaics
      • Rose Window
      • Theological Virtues
      • Ambry and Holy Oils
    • Our Lady of Lourdes - February 11
    • Life of Mary in Our Stained Glass Windows
    • July 4, 2021 Cookout
  • Ministries
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    • Martha Ministry
  • Events
  • Family Festival
  • September 11th Memorial Page
  • Deanery 16
  • Synod 2023
  • Church Repairs
  • Youth and Faith Formation Calendar
  • Pancake Breakfast 2021
  • First Communion - September 12, 2021
  • Cookout August 29, 2021
  • Baptisms - September 12, 2021
  • Saint Clare of Assisi
  • Our Lady of Częstochowa
  • Saint Maximilian Kolbe
  • Saint John Paul II
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help
The Easter Candle is used during the Easter Season and at baptisms and funerals throughout the year.
Most Easter candles have three common features - the five wounds of Christ, the year, and an Alpha and Omega.
Picture
Five marks make up the cross representing the five wounds of Christ.
Top - Crown of Thorns
Left and Right - Nails in each hand
Bottom - One nail through his feet.
Middle - Where a spear was put into his side, which then flowed out blood and water.
​
​Also on the candle is 2021 for the Year in which the Easter Candle was blessed.


The Alpha (looks like the letter A) is above the cross, and the Omega (looks like a horseshoe) is below.   Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, and Omega is the last one.  These two letters represent the eternal nature of God.  It anticipates Jesus' second coming and comes from the Book of Revelation 1:8.   “I am the Alpha and the Omega,”* says the Lord God, “the one who is and who was, and who is to come, the almighty.”


​On our Easter candle we have additional images
Picture




1) Below the cross is a victorious Lamb with the seven seals  (Revelation 6)  similar to what is on the front of the Saint Valentine Altar of Sacrifice (see http://www.stvalentinechurch.com/mosaics.html)
Picture
2) In a golden oval, an angel is bowing down to a risen Christ.  The oval is a symbol of holiness and new life.

Picture
3) Above the risen Christ is a decoration of the overflowing abundance of God's love, mercy and grace.   It has lilies and other plants showing the new life we have in Christ through the Paschal Mystery of His passion, death resurrection and ascension.
Sometimes the Easter Candle is referred to as the Paschal Candle, coming from the word Passover.  Christians believe the Easter is the fulfilment of the Jewish Passover celebration - the Last Supper was a Jewish Passover meal and the resurrection was the fulfillment of the ancient Israelites passing from slavery to new life from the Exodus narrative.  
​
From the Easter Vigil Blessing 

Christ yesterday and today,
the beginning and the end,
Alpha and Omega,
all time belongs to him,
and all ages;
to him be glory and power,
through every age and for ever. Amen.

By his holy and glorious wounds
may Christ our Lord guard and keep us.
Amen.

May the light of Christ, rising in glory,
banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.

The light of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
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  • About Us
    • Our Location
    • Calendar
    • Mission Statement
    • Contact Us
    • Online Giving
    • Online Prayer Request
    • Parish History
    • The Pipe Organ at Saint Valentine
    • Forms >
      • Parishioner Registration/Update Form
      • Ministry Signup Form
      • RCIA Form
    • Social Media
  • Faith Formation
  • Sacraments
    • Baptism
    • Confirmation
  • News & Notes
  • Photo Album
    • Saints In Our Artwork >
      • Saint Valentine
      • January Saints
      • February Saints
      • March Saints >
        • Saint Casimir
        • Saint Patrick
        • Saint Joseph
      • April Saints >
        • Saint Stanislaus, Bishop and Martyr
        • Saint Bernadette Soubirious
        • Saint Adalbert of Prague (Saint Wojciech)
        • Saint Mark
        • Saint Catherine of Siena
      • May Saints >
        • Saint James, Son of Alphaeus
        • Saint Phillip
        • Saint Andrew Bobola
      • June Saints >
        • Saint Jadwica
        • Saint Anthony of Padua
        • Saint Methodius
        • Saint Aloysius Gonzaga
        • Saint Peter and Saint Paul
      • July Saints >
        • Saint Thomas the Apostle
        • Saint Maria Goretti
        • Saint Kateri Tekakwitha
        • Our Lady of Mount Caramel
        • Saint Kunegunda
        • Saint James the Apostle
        • Saint Anne, Mother of Mary
      • August Saints >
        • Saint John Vianney
        • Saint Dominic
        • Saint Jacenty
        • Saint Helena
        • Saint Pius X
        • Bartholomew the Apostle
        • Saint John the Baptist
      • September Saints
      • October Saints
      • November Saints
      • December Saints
    • Easter Candle
    • Triduum 2021
    • Blessing of Easter Food
    • Around the Church >
      • Front of the Church
      • Mosaics
      • Rose Window
      • Theological Virtues
      • Ambry and Holy Oils
    • Our Lady of Lourdes - February 11
    • Life of Mary in Our Stained Glass Windows
    • July 4, 2021 Cookout
  • Ministries
    • Ministry Signup Form
    • Athletic Club
    • Liturgical Ministries
    • Pastoral Council
    • Social Concerns
    • Altar Rosary Sodality
    • Religious Education
    • Prayer Group
    • Young Adult Ministry
    • Martha Ministry
  • Events
  • Family Festival
  • September 11th Memorial Page
  • Deanery 16
  • Synod 2023
  • Church Repairs
  • Youth and Faith Formation Calendar
  • Pancake Breakfast 2021
  • First Communion - September 12, 2021
  • Cookout August 29, 2021
  • Baptisms - September 12, 2021
  • Saint Clare of Assisi
  • Our Lady of Częstochowa
  • Saint Maximilian Kolbe
  • Saint John Paul II
  • Our Lady of Perpetual Help