A filter candle (10; 50) for gaseous fluids, in particular for hot gas filtration, comprising - one or more filter elements (12; 52) in the shape of hollow cylinders made of a porous material, wherein the filter elements (12; 52) have identical inner and outer diameters and are disposed coaxially in line with each other; - a support element comprising a metal tube which is disposed within the one or more filter elements (12; 52), wherein said metal tube has an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the filter element(s) (12; 52), wherein said metal tube has a wall with a plurality of perforations, wherein the metal tube has an axial length larger than the total axial length of the filter element(s) (12; 52), and wherein the perforations are distributed uniformly over a middle section of the metal tube which extends within the filter element(s) (12; 52); and - at least two annular sealing disks (34, 36; 54) having an outer diameter equal to or larger than that of the filter element(s) (12; 52) and an inner diameter smaller than that of the filter element(s) (12; 52), wherein first and second terminal sealing disks (34, 36) are disposed at opposite axial end faces of a single filter element or of a plurality of filter elements disposed in line, and wherein optionally further internal sealing disks are disposed between two adjacent filter elements of a plurality of filter elements, wherein the one or more filter elements (12; 52), and optionally the internal sealing disks, are compressed between the first and second terminal sealing disks (34, 36), characterized in that the radial distance between the filter element(s) (12; 52) and the metal tube is from 1 to 5 mm, and in that each sealing disk (34, 36; 54) comprises an annular metal disk, preferably a steel disk, and a gasket provided on one or both sides of the metal disk in contact with a filter element (12; 52), so as to provide a gastight seal between the filter element(s) (12; 52) and the sealing disks (34, 36; 54), and to allow a radial movement of the filter element(s) (12; 52) relative to the sealing disk (34, 36; 54). - one or more filter elements (12; 52) in the shape of hollow cylinders made of a porous material, wherein the filter elements (12; 52) have identical inner and outer diameters and are disposed coaxially in line with each other; - a support element comprising a metal tube which is disposed within the one or more filter elements (12; 52), wherein said metal tube has an outer diameter which is smaller than the inner diameter of the filter element(s) (12; 52), wherein said metal tube has a wall with a plurality of perforations, wherein the metal tube has an axial length larger than the total axial length of the filter element(s) (12; 52), and wherein the perforations are distributed uniformly over a middle section of the metal tube which extends within the filter element(s) (12; 52); and - at least two annular sealing disks (34, 36; 54) having an outer diameter equal to or larger than that of the filter element(s) (12; 52) and an inner diameter smaller than that of the filter element(s) (12; 52), wherein first and second terminal sealing disks (34, 36) are disposed at opposite axial end faces of a single filter element or of a plurality of filter elements disposed in line, and wherein optionally further internal sealing disks are disposed between two adjacent filter elements of a plurality of filter elements, wherein the one or more filter elements (12; 52), and optionally the internal sealing disks, are compressed between the first and second terminal sealing disks (34, 36), characterized in that the radial distance between the filter element(s) (12; 52) and the metal tube is from 1 to 5 mm, and in that each sealing disk (34, 36; 54) comprises an annular metal disk, preferably a steel disk, and a gasket provided on one or both sides of the metal disk in contact with a filter element (12; 52), so as to provide a gastight seal between the filter element(s) (12; 52) and the sealing disks (34, 36; 54), and to allow a radial movement of the filter element(s) (12; 52) relative to the sealing disk (34, 36; 54).