Greek in US Makes Lambatha Candles for Easter
Lambatha candles are an important part of the Greek Easter service that takes place on Holy Saturday, and one Greek, who moved to the US seven years ago, is now making and selling his own at a Greek market in Florida.
Two months ago, John Athanasiou took some time to learn how to make candles before opening his online store MyCandleLand, with the aim of selling Lambatha candles to the Greek community in Florida.
In Greece, it is traditional for godparents to gift their godchildren decorated (Lambatha) candles, to bring with them for the Greek Easter church service on Holy Saturday at midnight. Typically, the candles stay lit for the entire service and, afterward, are taken home while they are still lit for prayers to be said.
Speaking to Greek Reporter, Athanasiou said: “The shop was an idea given to me by a person whose ideas I trust a lot, and it seemed pretty good to me. Also, it’s something traditional in Greece. I was given the idea in early 2023, and I opened the shop two months ago.”
The 41-year-old said he makes the Lambatha candles in a mold and sells them at the Eviva Greek market and Bakery in Florida. He added that he has an 18-year-old goddaughter in Greece. He hopes to give her a candle, too, for the Easter service.
The tradition of Lambatha candles in Greece
If the godparents do buy their godchildren a decorated Lambatha candle for Easter, they may ask what kind of decorations the children want, but no matter how the candles are decorated, they will need to have a long burning time.
Children hold the Lambatha candle during the church service. Throughout the years, the candles have become more and more elaborately decorated. Children keep their Lambatha throughout the year because the blessed candle which has been lit by the Holy Light on Resurrection night can be used in other special liturgies such as baptisms and weddings.
The Greek Orthodox Church is blessed with many rich, colorful, and symbolic Easter traditions, and Greeks have followed these customs for the important holiday faithfully for many centuries.
Ahead of the service on Holy Saturday, Holy Friday will see the Epitaphios (a wooden bier-like structure holding an icon of Jesus) and its procession in the streets around the church.
It is the saddest day of the entire year for Orthodox Christians because Christ is said to be lying in his tomb after his crucifixion.
On the morning of Holy Friday, women and children go to church and decorate the Epitaph. The faithful place hundreds of flowers all around the wooden arch, venerate the icon underneath it, and kneel and go under it to receive God’s grace.
In the evening, the “Epitaphios” procession takes place in every parish across Greece. The Epitaph is taken out of the church, and the procession begins with parishioners following as they solemnly hold lit beeswax candles. Church bells ring mournfully.
