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Christingle
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We had 3,193 hits on THIS web page alone during November and December 2006 and hope that our new visitors will learn the origins of the Christingle and may share in this Moravian tradition that is celebrated worldwide every year!
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The Christingle Service on Christmas Eve
The Moravian Church gives distinctive emphasis to Christmas.
The Christmas Eve Lovefeast and Candle Service draws many visitors.
Some churches are compelled to hold three and even four of these services on Christmas Eve.
There are separate services for children and adults. At the children's service even the smallest child is at home.
After the Lovefeast, lighted candles are distributed to each worshiper while the auditorium is darkened except for the large illuminated Moravian Christmas Star. This star has 26 points. Within is a lighted electric bulb.
The Christingle candles are hand made of bees-wax and tallow. Around the bottom is a red non-flammable paper frill. Some say that the bees-wax and tallow symbolize the humanity of Christ; the lighted wick His divinity; and the red frill His atonement. Others say that it simply reminds us that Jesus said:
"I am the Light of the World."
After the candles have been distributed and during the singing of the last stanza of the last hymn, usually, Joy to the World, worshipers are asked to hold their candles aloft in rededication to the call of Jesus:
"You are the light of the world.
Let your light so shine before men
that they may see your good works,
and glorify your Father Who is in Heaven."
In some congregations at the adult services the worshipers carry their lighted candles out into the dark world.
"Morning Star, O cheerful sight,
Ere thou cam'st how dark earth's night.
Jesus mine,
In me shine,
Fill my heart with light divine."
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Essential Planning and Getting Ready!
The items required for each Christingle are described above and each Christingle needs to be assembled accordingly so.
The quantity of Oranges, sweets, etc. need to be planned to your estimate of attendance at the Service. As it is primarily a Childrens service, you will need sufficient to provide each child with a Christingle so, please order enough!
This can be a costly business to cater for each service and you will need to establish a Budget and make arrangements for suitable discounts for quantity purchases from your local fruiterer! You may seek local sponsorship for the service to provide these items!
Depending on the day and time of the Christingle Service, the quantity of items need to be purchased and delivered/ collected whilst they are fresh. A managable team of willing helpers needs to be organised to assemble the Christingles. Please remember food hygiene when doing this - especially whoever is providing instruction and supervising assembly!
When assembled they need to be gathered on flameproof trays and stored safely until the service commences.
During the service, the Christingles need to be accessible for lighting the candles and, afterwards, distributing (or arranging for collection) to the children at a suitable time in the service. This needs to be done safely and responsibly.
Notes:
a) 50, 100 or more candles are a lot to prepare.
b) They are even a lot to get lit during the service.
c) Organise your helpers and delegate responsibility.
d) The Minister should explain the origin of the Christingle and what it represents; also, should give a safety warning and ask PARENTS to supervise their children with the lit Christingles!
e) Have someone switch off the Church lights during the Christingle hymn and switch them on after the hymn!
f) Contrary to media belief, there have been no reported cases of children being burnt by a Christingle candle. This does not mean that it cannot happen, but gives you an idea of the risk and probability factor!
g) Leftover Christingles? Should you have any, remember that older (senior) citizens would love to have one!
h) enjoy!
The Christingle Today
Since then, this custom and tradition has been kept alive by the Moravian church throughout the world. It is noted that, during the 1950's, the Christingle was popularised by the Anglican Church Children's Society as a means to raise the profile of their work.
The Earth (and its people) is represented by the Orange, the white candle in the centre represents Christ's purity and the light being Jesus as "light of the world". The red frill at the base of the candle reminds us of the blood that Christ shed for our sins, the surrounding sweet and raisins representing the "fruits of the earth".
This is the true definition of a Christingle and its meaning. Other "types" of Christingles adopted by other Churches and other meanings given by often vague and uninformed interpritation and guesswork detract from its origin.
It is surprising how many Churches know very little about this longstanding Moravian custom, so we would now like to tell you some more about it!
Please read on....
Happy Children
To make the point even clearer, each child then received a little lighted wax candle with a red ribbon, John de Watteville ended the service with this prayer: "Lord Jesus, kindle a flame in these dear children's hearts, that theirs like Thine become".
The Marienborn Diary concludes, "hereupon the children went full of joy with their little lighted candles to their rooms and so went glad and happy to bed".
The Christingle - Moravia, 1747
The Christingle, celebrated at Christmastide, is a Moravian custom that started in Marienborn, Moravia on 20th December 1747, at a childrens service conducted by Pastor John de Wattville.
After singing hymns together, the Pastor read some verses which the children themselves had written "in honour of the Saviour's birth", and he then went on to explain to them, in a way that made the story fresh and lively, what happiness had come to men from the birth of Jesus, "who has kindled in such little heart a flame which keeps ever burning to their joy and happiness".
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