A first communion candle is a candle the child carries or keeps on the day of first holy communion, and it stands for the light of Christ received at baptism. It is a custom, a widespread and beautiful one, but it is not something the rite of first communion requires.
The candle with real liturgical weight in a Catholic life is the baptismal candle, lit from the Paschal candle at the font. Many parishes carry that symbolism forward into first communion. Many others use no candle at all, and some provide one themselves. All of those are perfectly Catholic.
So the cheapest first step is to message the catechist and ask what your parish actually does.
What a first communion candle symbolizes, and why it is a custom and not a rule
The symbolism is borrowed, and it helps to know from where. At a baptism the candle is lit from the Paschal candle and handed to the parents or godparents with the words Receive the light of Christ. The Catechism of the Catholic Church, in the section on the celebration of baptism, explains the sign in one line: the candle, lit from the Easter candle, signifies that Christ has enlightened the newly baptized. That is the meaning families reach for when they bring a candle to first communion.
The Paschal candle is the large candle blessed at the Easter Vigil and lit at baptisms and funerals through the year. If your parish lights the children's candles from it, that connection is deliberate.
What is not true is that the Church requires a candle at first communion. No liturgical book prescribes one. The custom is strong in some countries and almost invisible in others, and it can differ between two parishes in one city. Anyone who tells you there is a Church norm about the height or the wax of a child's candle is describing a local practice, not a rule. Our guide to baptism candles covers the candle that does carry that weight.
Ask the parish catechist before you buy anything
Six weeks out is the right moment for one short message. These are the questions that actually change what you buy:
- Does the program provide the candle, or do families buy their own?
- Is there a required height, width or style?
- Will the candles be lit during the mass, or carried unlit?
- Are decorated candles welcome, or does the parish want them plain and identical?
- Is the child's name and the date allowed on the candle?
Some programs buy one candle for every child so nobody arrives with something fancier than the rest. Some give you a size and leave the rest to you. Some skip candles entirely. For the rest of the preparation, our first communion guide for parents walks through the timeline.
How tall should a first communion candle be?
Most candles sold for this purpose are about 10 to 12 inches tall and roughly 1 to 1.5 inches thick. No Church rule sits behind those numbers; they are what fits a child's hands and standard holders. Height matters because a child of seven or eight has to hold it steady while walking.
- About 10 inches is the safe default for a candle carried in procession.
- Up to 15 inches is fine if the candle will only stand on a table or in a holder.
- Much past 12 inches the candle becomes top heavy and wobbles in small hands.
- Very thin tapers bend in a warm church and lean in the holder.
- If the candle will be lit while held, add a wax catcher so hot wax does not run onto fingers.
The best test costs nothing: hand the candle to the child a few days early and have them walk a hallway with it in both hands. If it wobbles at home it will wobble in the aisle.
Wax, paraffin or beeswax in a first communion candle set
Paraffin is the most common wax in decorated candles: inexpensive, bright white, and it takes dye and applied decoration cleanly. Beeswax is the traditional wax of church candles, naturally golden unless bleached to ivory, slower and cleaner burning, and noticeably more expensive. Many candles are a blend, so if beeswax matters, look for a stated percentage rather than the word alone.
Soft vegetable waxes such as soy bend in a tall taper. For a candle that is lit for ten minutes and then kept for two decades, storage matters more than wax. Compare finishes across our devotional candles.
A first communion candle set usually bundles the candle with a holder and sometimes a box. Judge a set by whether it includes a rigid box you can store the candle in afterward; that is worth more than extra trinkets. Our first communion sets are built that way.
Plain, decorated, engraved, or a first communion candle and bible set
Decoration is a matter of taste and parish preference, not doctrine. The usual images are the chalice and host, a cross, wheat and grapes, the letters IHS, or a dove. Raised decoration should sit well below the burn line, since it can soften as the wax warms.
Putting the child's name and the date on the candle is entirely normal, and it is what makes the candle identifiable twenty years later. It is not required, and a plain candle can be reused at confirmation without looking dated. If you do personalize, order early: two to three weeks of lead time is common, and the spelling cannot be fixed once the wax is cut.
A first communion candle and bible set is a popular pairing, especially as a gift from godparents. Choose a Catholic edition, which includes the deuterocanonical books, with print a child can actually read. Our Catholic bibles are sized for that.
What happens with the candle during the mass
In parishes that use a candle, a few patterns repeat. None is prescribed by the Church's liturgical books, so read this as common practice rather than instructions:
- The children carry the candle, usually unlit, in the entrance procession.
- The candles rest in holders at the pew or near the sanctuary.
- Where they are lit, it is often at the renewal of baptismal promises, after communion, or at the final blessing.
- Some parishes light them from the Paschal candle, making the link with baptism visible.
- Many parishes never light them at all, because open flame in a church full of small children in white clothing is a genuine hazard.
Two points hold regardless. An adult should light and extinguish the candle, never the child, and the child should hold it with both hands at chest height, away from a veil or a sleeve.
Storing the candle, relighting it, and first communion candle favors
Heat and light are what ruin candles. An attic, a garage, a parked car or a sunny windowsill will bend the wax and fade the decoration within one summer. A closet inside the house is the whole solution.
- Let the wax cool and harden completely before you touch it.
- Wipe off drips and trim the wick back to about a quarter inch.
- Wrap the candle in plain tissue paper so nothing presses into the surface.
- Lay it flat with support, or stand it upright, inside a rigid box.
- Label the box with the child's name and the date, and store it in a cool dark closet.
Relighting it later is a family custom, not an obligation, and a good one, because it ties the day to the sacrament rather than to the party. Families light it on the anniversary of the first communion, at confirmation, and during evening prayer in Advent or Lent. A few minutes each time and it lasts for decades.
First communion candle favors are the small candles given to guests at the reception, usually 2 to 4 inches, boxed with a tag showing the child's name and the date. Keep them unscented and give them a container so they cannot stain a tablecloth. If you are ordering favors for a reception of a hundred guests, or you coordinate the catechism program and need a candle for every child in the class, it is worth asking about quantity pricing rather than buying them one at a time. See also our first communion gift ideas.
Frequently asked questions
What does the first communion candle symbolize?
It symbolizes the light of Christ received at baptism, carried into the day of first holy communion. The candle with real liturgical weight is the baptismal candle, lit from the Paschal candle, which the Catechism describes as a sign that Christ has enlightened the newly baptized. Many parishes extend that image to first communion, though nothing in the rite requires it.
What size candle is used for first communion?
Most candles sold for first communion are about 10 to 12 inches tall and roughly 1 to 1.5 inches thick, though no Church rule governs the size and some parishes set their own. Height matters because a child of seven or eight has to hold the candle steady while walking in procession. Much past 12 inches it becomes top heavy and wobbles.
Who carries and lights the candle during the mass?
In parishes that use a candle the child normally carries it, usually unlit, and an adult lights it: a parent, a godparent, a catechist or the priest. Nothing here is fixed by the Church's liturgical books, so the parish decides. Many parishes never light the candles at all, since open flame around small children in white clothing is a real hazard.
Can the baptism candle be reused for first communion?
Yes. There is no rule against it, and it is a meaningful choice, because the baptismal candle is the one with real liturgical significance behind it. Reusing it makes the link between the two sacraments concrete rather than decorative. The practical questions are whether enough wax is left and whether your parish wants a uniform candle for the class.
How should the candle be stored after the celebration?
Store it away from heat and light, upright or flat with support, inside a closed box kept in the house. Heat is what ruins candles: an attic, a garage, a car or a sunny windowsill will bend the wax and fade the decoration. Let the wax cool completely, trim the wick, wrap the candle in plain tissue paper, and label the box with the date.
Does the parish provide the first communion candle, or do parents buy it?
It depends entirely on the parish, which is why this is the first question to ask. Some programs buy identical candles for the whole class and fold the cost into the program fee, so no child arrives with something fancier than the others. Some ask families to buy their own within a stated size. Some use no candle at all.
Is it appropriate to engrave the child's name and date on the candle?
Yes. Personalizing the candle with the child's name and the date is a common and entirely acceptable custom, not a liturgical matter at all. It is what turns the candle into a keepsake the family can identify years later. Check that your parish does not want plain, identical candles, and order early, because personalized work often takes two to three weeks.
Who traditionally gives the first communion candle as a gift?
Godparents, most often, although there is no rule and no single tradition that applies everywhere. In many families the godparents give the candle, a first bible, or both, since the godparent role begins at baptism and the candle carries baptismal symbolism forward. Parents, grandparents or the parish itself may provide it instead, so ask before you buy.