Selecting the Purest Candles: Without Tallow, Paraffin, or Beeswax Posted by Ingrid Newkirk at 7:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2) Like many people, you may be asking: What makes a candle vegan and cruelty-free? What harmful products are often used in candles? I addressed these very questions in a chapter in one of my books, Making Kind Choices : Shopping for candles, whether to light the table for that special romantic evening, votive candles to float in the bath, or ones to pop in the kitchen drawer just in case the lights go out, means thinking about what goes into them. The main ingredients to avoid are beeswax, which is stolen from the industrious bees’ hive, tallow (a slaughterhouse product), and paraffin wax, a petroleum product that is associated with health risks. Today, there are wonderful decorative and practical household candles, all easy to find, that are made from soy and other ingredients that are kind to the environment, as well as to your health, and which do not depend on killing and stealing from animals. According to environmental watchdogs, there are three main reasons to avoid buying petroleum (paraffin) products.

These are: • Petroleum smoke/exhaust contains many carcinogenic toxins and produces ugly black soot • Petroleum is not a renewable resource and it is of a limited supply • Burning petroleum products creates air pollution and contributes to global warming Paraffin candles contain up to 11 carcinogenic compounds which have been deemed “toxic air contaminants” by the State of California. An air quality researcher, David Krause, has documented evidence that candle soot particles contain many of the same compounds given off from burning diesel fuel. No one really knows when the first candle was invented, but in Roman times candles were made of the pith of certain rushes, peeled except on one side, and dipped in animal fat, so animal fat was always a factor. Today, tallow candles are still made from “rendered” sheep or beef fat from around the cow’s kidneys, so little wonder they can go rancid, can cause irritations in sensitive people, and smell awful once you know exactly what it is your nose is picking up! A fine alternative to animal tallow is vegetable tallow, a substance resembling tallow, obtained from various plants.

Chinese vegetable tallow is obtained from the seeds of the tallow tree, and Indian vegetable tallow is a name sometimes given to piney tallow. Vegetable wax is also a safe ingredient. This is simply a waxy excretion on the leaves or fruits of certain plants, such as the bayberry. By the Middle Ages candles were common. Tallow, beeswax, and vegetable wax such as bayberry in North American, candleberry in the East, and waxberry in South America, were later supplemented by whale oil (spermaceti) and by stearine or stearic acid in the early 1800s (this is still obtained from plants which process the carcasses of dogs and cats killed in animal pounds and shelters), then by paraffin in the mid-1800s. Somewhere along the way, people learned to pour beeswax over the wicks. Here’s why to avoid it: Whether we are stealing honey, royal jelly, pollen, propolis, or wax from bees, these incredible little insects-capable of complicated communication documented in their dances and of a social network compared to which our most carefully designed modern communities pale, suffer and die quite needlessly.

First, smoke is blown into the bees’ hives to make the bees easier to deal with. Next, a “bee brush” is used to crudely sweep away the bees who rush from the hive and succumb to the smoke. In sweeping them aside, the wire tines break off their legs and wings. Bee farmers then remove the honey and the honeycomb, which is, of course, the hive’s main source of nourishment, and replace it with cheap white sugar. Animal wax used in candles (and certain other products, including some polishes, crayons and lip balms) comes from the honeycomb. It’s easy to pick out “clean candles” as, usually, candle ingredients are marked on them, but sometimes you do have to poke about a bit or ask sales assistants to call the manufacturer for more details than given on the labels. Instead of beeswax-coated wicks, you can also buy paper, hemp and cotton wicks. Next time you buy or light a candle, you can really shine! Complete Archives Disclaimer The information and views provided here are intended for informational and preliminary educational purposes only. From time to time, content may be posted on the site regarding various financial planning and human and animal health issues.

Such content is never intended to be and should never be taken as a substitute for the advice of readers' own financial planners, veterinarians, or other licensed professionals. You should not use any information contained on this site to diagnose yourself or your companion animals' health or fitness. Readers in need of applicable professional advice are strongly encouraged to seek it. Except where third-party ownership or copyright is indicated or credited regarding materials contained in this blog, reproduction or redistribution of any of the content for personal, noncommercial use is enthusiastically encouraged. How Do You Make Candles? | Wonderopolis Wonder of the Day #443 How Do You Make Candles? How do you make candles? What are candles made of? When were candles invented? Listen Candles play an important role in many winter holidays . Candlelight is not only lovely and mesmerizing to look at, but there is typically a special meaning attached. An important part of the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah , or “The Festival of Lights," is the nightly lighting of a candle on the menorah , a candelabrum that holds nine candles. Eight candles represent the eight nights of Hanukkah , and the ninth candle, called the "shamash," is used to light the others.

Some Americans of African descent honor their heritage and traditions of their ancestors by celebrating Kwanzaa . Each day they light one of seven candles in a candelabrum called the " kinara ." Each candle represents one of the seven principles of Kwanzaa . The Christmas holiday uses candles and light in a variety of ways, from the light of the star over Bethlehem to the lighting of one candle each of the four weeks during Advent (four weeks prior to Christmas). Do you use candles at your house as part of your holiday decorations or celebrations? Have you ever stopped to wonder how they're made? Not much is known about the origin of candles. Some believe the first candles appeared in China in about 200 B.C. The first Chinese candles were probably made with whale fat. Others credit the Ancient Egyptians with inventing candles. According to some historians, the Ancient Egyptians used rushlights (primitive torches ) made by soaking dried reeds in melted tallow (a processed form of animal fat). Of course, Egyptian rushlights did not have a wick like modern candles. It was probably the Ancient Romans who first created candles with wicks to light homes and churches at night. Early candles were usually made with some form of animal fat.

Unfortunately, these candles probably did not smell as nice as today's candles do. In fact, they might have had an odor like fried, greasy food. They also would have created a lot of smoke, which made them difficult to use effectively indoors. Over time, other materials were used to make candles that would burn cleaner and produce less smoke. In the Middle Ages, candle-makers discovered that beeswax (a substance produced by bees and used to make their honeycombs) made great candles. Unfortunately, beeswax candles were expensive, so only the wealthy could afford them. In the 18th century, spermaceti wax (made from oil from sperm whales) was often used to make candles. The first candles that resembled modern-day candles were likely made with spermaceti wax. Most candles today are made from paraffin . Paraffin is a waxy byproduct of petroleum refining, and it was first distilled in 1830. Paraffin revolutionized candle-making because it was inexpensive, burned cleanly and produced no odor. The only drawback to paraffin was its low melting point. Eventually, candle-makers discovered that they could add stearic acid to paraffin to make candles firmer and melt more slowly.

Today, most candle manufacturers — known traditionally as "chandlers" — use modern manufacturing equipment, including molds, to mass-produce candles. The basic production method involves melting the solid fuel ( paraffin ) and pouring it into a mold until it cools. Some artists, though, prefer to make candles the old-fashioned way by repeatedly dipping a wick into heated beeswax , paraffin or whatever waxy substance they wish to use. With repeated dippings, you can make a basic tapered candle . Candle artisans often add dyes and scents to make a wide variety of custom-colored candles that smell great when they're burned. You may not want to burn them, though! Custom candles can often turn out too beautiful to burn. People who love such homemade candles may collect them as pieces of art. Wonder Words (18) Take the Wonder Word Challenge Wonder What's Next? Pssst! Interested in a new Wonder of the Day? Check back tomorrow because we’ve got a deal for you! Try It Out Ready to have some fun with candles? If you want to try making your own candles at home, ask an adult to take you to a craft store to purchase a candle-making kit you can try at home.

If you'd prefer to make some crafts with candles you already have, try some of these fun activities with an adult: When you're finished, email us a picture of what you made, or post a picture on Facebook . We can't wait to see how creative you are with candles! Types of Candle Wax & Wax Ingredients | NCA Research Studies Waxes Over the centuries, candle waxes have been developed from a variety of fats, oils and waxy-like substances derived from animals, insects, plants and rocks. Scientists consider “wax” to be a generic term for classifying materials that have the following characteristics: Solid at room temperature; liquid at higher temperatures Primarily hydrocarbon in structure Water repellent; insoluble in water Smooth texture; buffable under slight pressure Low toxicity; low reactivity Low odor Waxes are widely used throughout the world for a range of applications, including packaging, coatings, cosmetics, foods, adhesives, inks, castings, crayons, chewing gum, polishes and – of course – candles. Development of Candle Waxes Early civilizations depended largely on the raw materials at hand to create candle wax. Ancient Egyptians and the Early Romans relied largely on tallow rendered from animals.

“A tallow candle, to be good, must be half Sheep’s Tallow and half Cow’s; that of hoggs mekes ’em gutter, give an ill smell, and a thick black smoak” – Anonymous, 18th Century In China, beeswax was used for candles as early as the Tang Dynasty (618-907 A.D.), and candle wax derived from the Coccos pella insect had been developed by the 12th century. Extracts from tree nuts were used to make candle wax in early Japan, while in India they boiled the fruit of the cinnamon tree for candle wax. Beeswax was introduced to Europe in the Middle Ages, but was rarely used in homes because of its great expense. Over the centuries, the development of new waxes for candles has hinged on the availability of the raw material, the ease and economy of processing the raw material into a wax suitable for candle use, and the desirability of the wax in comparison to other available candle waxes.

Tallow was the typical everyday candle wax used in Europe and the Americas until the 18th century, when the whaling industry stimulated the development of spermaceti wax, a clean-burning, low-odor wax derived from the head oil of the sperm whale. Spermaceti remained the primary candle wax until the mid-1800s, when stearin wax and then paraffin wax were developed. Stearin wax, based on extracting stearic acid from animal fatty acids, was widely used in Europe. Paraffin wax, developed after chemists found a way to remove the naturally-occurring waxy substance from petroleum during refining, became the standard candle wax in the Western Hemisphere. During the latter half of the 20th century, several synthetic and chemically synthesized waxes, including gels, were developed largely for specialty candle uses. Two vegetable-based candle waxes – soy wax and palm wax – were developed for commercial use in the candle market during the late 1990s by hydrogenating soybean and palm oils, respectively. Paraffin is by far the most frequently used candle wax on a worldwide basis today.

Beeswax is also used around the globe, although in significantly smaller quantities. Stearin candle wax is largely limited to European use. Soy wax, palm wax, gels, synthetic waxes, and synthesized waxes are also now used in candles, as are a variety of wax blends and customized wax formulations. Candle Wax Facts Prior to the 19th century, a “wax” candle typically referred to a beeswax candle. All waxes are primarily hydrocarbons, whether the wax is of animal, vegetable, or petroleum origin. The chemical composition of all waxes used for candle-making is similar, and all candle waxes burn in the same manner. An estimated 1 billion pounds of wax are used in the candles sold each year in the United States. Candles account for the second largest use of waxes in North America, after packaging and package coatings. Paraffin is the most commonly used candle wax today. Beeswax, soy wax, palm wax, gels, and synthesized waxes are also used in candle-making for the U.S. market, as are blends of waxes. Waxes burn with a yellow flame due to the presence of carbon.

No specific type of wax or wax blend is considered “best” for candlemaking. All candle waxes – when provided in high-quality format – have been shown to burn cleanly, safely and in the same manner. No candle wax has ever been shown to be toxic or harmful to human health. There is no such thing as a soot-free wax. All organic compounds when burned will emit some carbon (soot) due to incomplete combustion. Sooting is primarily a factor of wick length and flame disturbance. Reputable candle manufacturers use only high-quality waxes in their formulations. MEDIA CENTER The History of Candles | NCA Research Studies History of Candles Candles have been used for light and to illuminate man’s celebrations for more than 5,000 years, yet little is known about their origin. It is often written that the first candles were developed by the Ancient Egyptians, who used rushlights or torches made by soaking the pithy core of reeds in melted animal fat. However, the rushlights had no wick like a true candle.

Early Wicked Candles The Egyptians were using wicked candles in 3,000 B.C., but the ancient Romans are generally credited with developing the wicked candle before that time by dipping rolled papyrus repeatedly in melted tallow or beeswax. The resulting candles were used to light their homes, to aid travelers at night, and in religious ceremonies. Historians have found evidence that many other early civilizations developed wicked candles using waxes made from available plants and insects. Early Chinese candles are said to have been molded in paper tubes, using rolled rice paper for the wick, and wax from an indigenous insect that was combined with seeds. In Japan, candles were made of wax extracted from tree nuts, while in India, candle wax was made by boiling the fruit of the cinnamon tree. It is also known that candles played an important role in early religious ceremonies. Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights which centers on the lighting of candles, dates back to 165 B.C. There are several Biblical references to candles, and the Emperor Constantine is reported to have called for the use of candles during an Easter service in the 4th century. Middle Ages Most early Western cultures relied primarily on candles rendered from animal fat (tallow).

A major improvement came in the Middle Ages, when beeswax candles were introduced in Europe. Unlike animal-based tallow, beeswax burned pure and cleanly, without producing a smoky flame. It also emitted a pleasant sweet smell rather than the foul, acrid odor of tallow. Beeswax candles were widely used for church ceremonies, but because they were expensive, few individuals other than the wealthy could afford to burn them in the home. Tallow candles were the common household candle for Europeans, and by the 13th century, candlemaking had become a guild craft in England and France. The candlemakers (chandlers) went from house to house making candles from the kitchen fats saved for that purpose, or made and sold their own candles from small candle shops. Colonial Times Colonial women offered America’s first contribution to candlemaking, when they discovered that boiling the grayish-green berries of bayberry bushes produced a sweet-smelling wax that burned cleanly. However, extracting the wax from the bayberries was extremely tedious. As a result, the popularity of bayberry candles soon diminished.

The growth of the whaling industry in the late 18th century brought the first major change in candlemaking since the Middle Ages, when spermaceti — a wax obtained by crystallizing sperm whale oil — became available in quantity. Like beeswax, the spermaceti wax did not elicit a repugnant odor when burned, and produced a significantly brighter light. It also was harder than either tallow or beeswax, so it wouldn’t soften or bend in the summer heat. Historians note that the first “standard candles” were made from spermaceti wax. 19th Century Advances Most of the major developments impacting contemporary candlemaking occurred during the 19th century. In the 1820s, French chemist Michel Eugene Chevreul discovered how to extract stearic acid from animal fatty acids. This led to the development of stearin wax, which was hard, durable and burned cleanly. Stearin candles remain popular in Europe today. In 1834, inventor Joseph Morgan helped to further the modern-day candle industry by developing a machine that allowed for continuous production of molded candles by using a cylinder with a movable piston to eject candles as they solidified.

With the introduction of mechanized production, candles became an easily affordable commodity for the masses. Paraffin wax was introduced in the 1850s, after chemists learned how to efficiently separate the naturally-occurring waxy substance from petroleum and refine it. Odorless and bluish-white in color, paraffin was a boon to candlemaking because it burned cleanly, consistently and was more economical to produce than any other candle fuel. Its only disadvantage was a low melting point. This was soon overcome by adding the harder stearic acid, which had become widely available. With the introduction of the light bulb in 1879, candlemaking began to decline. The 20th Century Candles enjoyed renewed popularity during the first half of the 20th century, when the growth of U.S. oil and meatpacking industries brought an increase in the byproducts that had become the basic ingredients of candles – paraffin and stearic acid. The popularity of candles remained steady until the mid-1980s, when interest in candles as decorative items, mood-setters and gifts began to increase notably.

Candles were suddenly available in a broad array of sizes, shapes and colors, and consumer interest in scented candles began to escalate. The 1990s witnessed an unprecedented surge in the popularity of candles, and for the first time in more than a century, new types of candle waxes were being developed. In the U.S., agricultural chemists began to develop soybean wax, a softer and slower burning wax than paraffin. On the other side of the globe, efforts were underway to develop palm wax for use in candles. Today’s Candles Candles have come a long way since their initial use. Although no longer man’s major source of light, they continue to grow in popularity and use. Today, candles symbolize celebration, mark romance, soothe the senses, define ceremony, and accent home decors — casting a warm and lovely glow for all to enjoy. MEDIA CENTER Library : The Wax Candle in the Liturgy | Catholic Culture The Wax Candle in the Liturgy The Wax Candle in the Liturgy Description Fr. John Bolen gives the history of the liturgical use of candles, noting in particular the significance of candles made from beeswax.

Larger Work Publisher & Date American Ecclesiastical Review for the Catholic University of America, May 1942 In the history of religion, light and fire have frequently accompanied the sacred rites of many peoples. The fire of the altar and the lights of the sacrificial chamber have not only been used symbolically, but at times these elements have assumed the halo of divinity itself. Among the Hebrews, God Himself enjoined the use of light in His worship. In the tabernacle was to be placed the candlestick with seven branches, holding seven lamps (Exodus, xxv; 31-37). While some lamps were illuminated by means of burning resinous wood, these no doubt were fed with olive oil.1 To the Jews, candles were probably unknown, especially in the temple ritual. While the word frequently occurs in the Revised Version, yet the Hebrew word "ner" should be rendered "lamp" instead of "candle".2 Even the word "candlestick" is misleading as found in the Rheims-Douay translation of the Vulgate "candelabrum".

Among the Romans, this term usually signified a lampstand.3 Historians seem to be agreed that there was no ceremonial use of lighted candles, torches or lamps during the first three centuries.4 Lamps were used by the Romans in their sacrificial ritual, and the first Christians were careful to avoid anything that might resemble this form of worship. The change in attitude was slow, but natural. Since services were usually held in the evening or early in the morning, light of some sort was a necessity. This was especially true when Mass was offered in the dark chambers of the catacombs. It was but a step for the Christians of later centuries, accustomed to the use of lights about the altar and in the sanctuary, to retain lamps and candles, since the worshippers were not unaware of their beauty and symbolism. It is difficult to state the exact time in which candles were first used liturgically. References are found in documents from the fourth century onwards, but it is not clear when the church as a whole accepted them as permanent adjuncts to the ritual.

Abbot (now Cardinal) Schuster, in his monumental treatise on the history of the prayers of the Mass of the Roman Rite, devotes a lengthy chapter to the "Eucharistia Lucernaris", which originated in Jerusalem5 in the 4th century, and included the rite of offering a lighted lamp or candle, in honor of Him who was the true Light. From Jerusalem, the service spread westward, through Spain, Gaul, northern Italy and finally to Rome. From this ceremony came the use of the Pascal Candle and Vespers, in which incense is now offered in a similar way, at the chanting of the Magnificat. The Laus cerei is mentioned by St. Jerome about the year 378, and he himself composed a hymn, in which he includes the symbolism of the bees and the wax. Later Ennodius of Pavia (d. 521) composed two hymns in like vein, in which he speaks of the chastity of the working bee as typical of the virgin birth of the Saviour, and of the lighted candle being offered and consecrated to God.

While the idea of the virginity of the bee has been relegated to the shades of mythology, yet it had a deep influence at the time, of making sacred the use of the wax candle in ecclesiastical services. The Ordo Romanus of the 7th century gives us a description of a Pontifical Mass, in which we find that the bishop was preceded by seven acolytes carrying seven lighted wax candles, probably a remnant of the custom of having seven lights carried before high Roman dignitaries. Later in the Mass, two of these candles were carried in procession before the book of the Gospels. They were then placed behind the altar and extinguished, in company with the other five. It was but a logical move to have these candles remain lighted during the entire Mass and in due course, they were placed on the altar instead of behind and around it. This, in brief, is the historical background of the wax candle found on every Catholic altar today. The blessing of candles was an inevitable sequence to their use in processions and in the sanctuary.

While the Pascal Candle is known to liturgical annalists as early as the fifth century, the first reference to its blessing is in the writings of Pope Gregory the Great, about 605. Today we often associate the blessing of candles and Candlemas. Historically, this rite of blessing wax candles has a devious lineage, and it came about in this way. The Romans, both pagan and Christian, were fond of processions and they occurred frequently. As most of them were held about dawn, it was necessary for the marchers to carry torches. Candles, made of wax, were later substituted. One of these processions was introduced from the East, probably by Pope Sergius I (A. D. 687), who was by birth a Syrian from Antioch. It was held on the feast of St. Simeon, 2 February, and was afterwards called the Feast of the Purification of the Blessed Virgin Mary, although the prayers of the Mass of the day point to an original feast of our Lord. The Venerable Bede, about A. D. 730, describes this Roman procession. The candles were not blessed, but simply carried by the clergy and the faithful.

Later, the Pope gave a blessing to the candles before they were lighted. Today, the idea of the procession has almost completely disappeared in services held in parish churches, and the secondary rite, that of blessing the candles, alone survives. It was this feast, with its hymns and prayers of blessing, that preserved the symbolism of the wax candle in the minds of the faithful, attuned in the Middle Ages to the mystical rather than the historical. When the storm clouds of the Reformation settled over the face of Europe, the dark shadows seemingly did not need the light of wax candles, for they quickly disappeared from the rebelling churches, except those in the Lutheran communion, which remained closest to Roman teachings. Even in England, where one is sometimes led to believe by Anglican writers today, that the Mass and its visible forms were never forgotten, the candle accompanied the altar into the closet. It was one hundred and fifty years before the waxen taper was restored. In the Catholic Church, the candle remained, symbolic of light and grace and beauty.

Then as now, it adorned the altar of sacrifice; it was dipped into the baptismal font; it watched as the opening doors of the Tabernacle revealed the Real Presence of the Light of the world; it passed from the hands of the newly ordained to that of the bishop; its light flickered in the dimness of the sick room while the priestly physician performed his work. At the hour of prayer, in monastery and cathedral, it was a symbol of Ecclesia Orans. The candle is not a merely tolerated adornment of the liturgy; custom has invested it with a permanent role. The laws of the church, now in effect, about the wax candle become intelligible and sacred when the pages of 1600 years of its history and development have been turned. Ours is an intelligent service to God, and we appreciate more fully our heritage when we know the reason for the law. In recent times, the candle industry has seen a revolution, and the wax candle is giving place rapidly to less expensive tapers. Naturally, the ministers of the church recognize the trend of the age.

The pocketbook plays a rather important role in our service to God, and it speaks as distinctly from the pulpit, as the lighted candle shines from the altar. Enormous debts, parochial school overhead, etc., tend to make the priest of God forget the labors of the little bee amid the roses and in the hive, the writings of medieval poets and mystics, of the meanings of the liturgical prayers and blessings on Easter Eve and Candlemas. In the end, he is satisfied that animal and mineral oils and fats should burn on the altars of the 20th century. Patiently, old Mother Church reminds us, and then warns us, that it is not wise to fall so easily. Before, however, stating her wishes in laws and regulations, it might do no harm to consider how modern candles are made. The candle may be composed of one or more of many materials, such as tallow, the solid portion of palm and cocoanut oils, bleached wax, spermaceti, paraffin and other oily substances found in coal, shale and gas tar.6 Most modern candles are made of paraffin wax or stearine, or mixtures of both.

According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, the "crude paraffin wax from mineral oil refineries is 'sweated' in ovens at a temperature slightly below the required melting point to free it from lower melting waxes and traces of oil, and is afterwards purified by steaming with animal charcoal and fuller's earth. As pure paraffin wax becomes plastic at temperatures considerably below its melting point, candles made from it are apt to bend, and it is usually stiffened with 5 to 10 % of stearine, which also makes the wax less transparent. Candles made from this mixture are known as 'composite candles.' The proportion of stearine is increased in candles, intended for hot climates, and they may be made entirely of stearine. Stearine is made of fatty acids combined with glycerin. The latter must be removed for it gives rise to acrid vapors. The solid fats, tallow, palm oil and bone fat are processed by any of several methods, treated with acid and bleached." Pure stearine, or stearic acid, presents difficulties in its making into candles, as it contracts upon cooling and leaves small spaces between the crystals.

It must be united to or mixed with wax or paraffin before it is poured into the molds. The sperm candles, made of spermaceti, a white crystalline wax obtained from the head cavity of the sperm whale, came into use in the latter half of the 18th century. A candle of this material, weighing one sixth of a pound and burning 120 grains per hour was adopted by the London Metropolic Gas Act of 1860 as the standard candle in photometry. It is extremely brittle and must be mixed with small proportions of other materials, especially beeswax. The oldest material used in the making of candles is, of course, beeswax. It was known to the Romans, and for many centuries was the only material used in the candles prescribed for ceremonial use in the Catholic Church. In the making of the candle, the wick, usually formed of soft, twisted cotton string, must be carefully proportioned to the amount of fat or wax used. If the wick is too narrow, the light will be dim and the flame too small to melt the wax fast enough. If the wick is too large, the supply of fat will be insufficient to form and preserve a bright flame.

Most candles are molded, and they are formed by pouring the melted mixtures into frames, in which wicks have been stretched and properly attached. Upon cooling, the wicks are cut from their moorings, and the molds slightly heated to permit the removal of the candles. Hundreds can be made at one time, depending upon the size of the machine. Wax candles cannot be molded, due to the sticking properties of the material but are usually processed by dipping. The wick is suspended in liquid wax, and as it is removed, some of the material sticks to it. Permitted to harden, the wax-incrusted wick is dipped again and again until the desired thickness has been obtained. Larger candles are commonly made by rolling wax sheets around the wicks, and the succeeding layers of wax. Both methods require careful manual rolling with flat slabs of wood to produce uniform shapes. Thus, both in material and in the process of making, the wax candle of the Catholic Church sanctuary differs from the less expensive candle used on the dining room table. Produced by a living bee, the wax seems to carry with it the idea of life, and typifies the spiritual more realistically than candles molded from oil extracted from the bosom of the earth.

It is undoubtedly the mind of the church that the candle be made of wax. The Missale Romanum, listing the things required for the celebration of Mass, plainly orders luminaria cerea.7 Van der Stappen lays down the general principle that no other material should be used.8 However, he notes that in our day it is increasingly difficult to obtain candles unmixed with other substances, and accordingly several bishops at the turn of the century asked the Holy See to recognize this situation and advise. The Sacred Congregation of Rites answered that it would no longer require candles made entirely of wax, but the Pascal Candle, the candles used in the blessing of baptismal water, and the two candles needed for the celebration of Mass, must be made of wax, at least in maxima parte; all other candles used on the altar must contain a "greater or notable part of wax".

Pastors and rectors of churches should follow the norms approved by their respective Ordinaries.9 In view of this decree, Van der Stappen says that he and others hold that for the Pascal Candle and for the candles necessary for the celebration of Mass, it is sufficient that 75 % wax be used; for all other candles used on the altar, for exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the public recitation of the Office, etc., it suffices that the candles used contain about 50 % beeswax. Fortesque has this to say: "The proportion of beeswax in church candles is regulated by law. The Pascal candle, the two candles for low Mass, six for High Mass, and the twelve necessary for Benediction must have at least 65 % of real beeswax. All other candles used on the altar must have at least 25 % of real beeswax. So the Bishops of England, and Wales on 4 December, 1906.

The Bishops of Ireland, in October 1905, directed that the Pascal Candle, and the two principal candles on the altar at Mass should contain at least 65 % beeswax and that all other candles used on the altar should contain at least 25 % of beeswax."10 Augustine states: "The general rule is that all candles used at liturgical functions should be made of pure beeswax. Therefore, candles made of stearine (animal fat), or of paraffin (hydrocarbon or brown coal), or of tallow are not permitted for liturgical use (S.R.C. No. 3063)". Commenting on the decree of 1904, he says: "This would spell, perhaps in percentages: 67-75 % of beeswax for the first class (maxima parte) and at least 51 % for the other candles".11 Looking through other standard works on liturgy and rubrics, we find that these opinions are the ones commonly accepted.

Since we are not at liberty to follow in this country the special rules promulgated by the local Ordinaries of England, Wales and Ireland, we must obey the statutes of our own local dioceses, when and where the Ordinary has seen fit to legislate in this matter. Otherwise, we should be guided by the opinions of prudent liturgists. It is safe to conclude that the Pascal Candle and the candles used at Mass must have at least two thirds wax in their composition. 67 yo would be the minimum. About the other candles, the Sacred Congregation of Rites prescribes that a greater ( 51 %) or notable part of the candles must be wax. 25 % seems rather low. 40 % looks better. In any case, a little wax put in the candle by the manufacturer to bind the basic matter together or make it workable would not suffice. The priest should buy those candles only which have the percentage of wax used clearly stamped on the individual candle. To resolve all doubts, the Holy See leaves the final word to the local Bishop.

The candles used in the sanctuary should be bleached, but at Masses for the Dead, the Ferial and Sunday Masses of Advent and Lent, Tenebrae and at the Mass of the Pre-Sanctified they should be unbleached. All candles should be blessed, although this is not of strict obligation. This may be done either at Candlemas (strictly, only the candles used on this occasion are then blessed) or at any time with the formula found in the Rituale Romanum. The number of candles to be used at the various services is regulated by church law; six at a Solemn Mass; four or six at a Sung Mass; two at Low Mass; twelve at Benediction; twenty at Exposition; six at Private Exposition with the Ciborium. More candles may be used on special occasions.12 In the use of candles, the priest is always certain to show good taste and judgment when he follows the letter of the law; just as he will show honor to God when he follows the spirit of the law. Notes 1 Smith, Dictionary of the Bible, Vol. I, p. 249. 2 Hastings, Dictionary of the Bible, 'Lamp'.

3 Funk and Wagnalls, New Standard Dictionary. 4 Smith-Cheetham, Dictionary of Christian Antiquities, Vol. II, p. 993. 5 Schuster, The Sacramentary, Vol. II, p. 245. 6 International Encyclopedia. 7 Missale Romanum, "De defectibus", Title X, No. 1. 8 Sacra Liturgia, Vol. III, Q. 59. 9 S.R.C., 14 Dec. 1904, No. 4148. 10 Ceremonies of the Roman Rite Explained, p. 8. 11 Liturgical Law, p. 37. 12 Ryan, Candles in the Roman Rite, pp. 15-23. This item 6206 digitally provided courtesy of CatholicCulture.org Stay in Touch! Our history | | Tallow ChandlersTallow Chandlers beadle@tallowchandlers.org Our history The Tallow Chandlers Company was formed in about 1300 to regulate oils, ointments, lubricants and fat-based preservatives and to manage candle making using tallow (animal fats).

Over the next 150 years we expanded in membership and influence, until King Edward IV granted us a coat of arms in 1456, and full livery status in 1462. By the 1500s, we were looking after London’s trade in a wide range of domestic goods, including sauces, vinegar, soap, cheese and herrings. We were also intimately involved in the service of the City. Our tallow candles played a key role in the compulsory street lighting for the City of London, and we were supplying the City Watch with 60 men. We bought the site of the Tallow Chandlers Hall in 1476. The modern Hall, a Grade I listed building, was built in 1672 after the destruction of the original hall during the Great Fire of London. Having survived the Blitz, it is one of the few Livery Halls to remain unchanged since then. We still make regular use of it for charitable, trade and social events. Our fortunes declined at the end of the 17th century. New candle making materials, such as spermaceti and paraffin wax, replaced tallow.

In the 1800s gas lighting arrived, to be replaced by electric lighting in the 1900s. However, that was offset by tallow’s increasing importance in the manufacture of soap. In fact, in 1853 Palmerston – seeking to encourage public cleanliness – removed all duty on tallow. Nowadays, few livery companies still police specific areas of commerce. There are some exceptions; gold is still assayed at Goldsmith’s Hall, pharmacists sit their exams at Apothecaries’ Hall, the Vintners are still involved in wine regulation and the Watermen still control professional standards on the Thames. We bought the current site of the Tallow Chandlers Hall in Dowgate Hill in 1476.

Company News New Liverymen, Freemen and an Apprentice At a Special Court before the Livery Dinner on the 17th November 2016, we were very pleased to welcome new […] Election Court, 5th July 2016 Following the Election Court held on 5th July 2016 at the Tallow Chandlers’ Hall, this year’s Master, the 450th recorded, […] New Freemen At a Special Court before the Company Dinner on May 19th 2016, we were very pleased to welcome four new […] Selecting Candles Without Tallow, Paraffin or Beeswax - An Animal Rights Article from all-creatures.org Working for a Peaceful World for Humans, Animals and the Environment Selecting Candles Without Tallow, Paraffin or Beeswax An Animal Rights Article from All-Creatures.org FROM People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) January 2016 Like many people, you may be asking: What makes a candle vegan and cruelty-free? What harmful products are often used in candles? I addressed these very questions in a chapter in one of my books, Making Kind Choices.

Shopping for candles, whether to light the table for that special romantic evening, votive candles to float in the bath, or ones to pop in the kitchen drawer just in case the lights go out, means thinking about what goes into them. The main ingredients to avoid are beeswax, which is stolen from the industrious beesï¿½ hive, tallow (a slaughterhouse product), and paraffin wax, a petroleum product that is associated with health risks. Today, there are wonderful decorative and practical household candles, all easy to find, that are made from soy and other ingredients that are kind to the environment, as well as to your health, and which do not depend on killing and stealing from animals. According to environmental watchdogs, there are three main reasons to avoid buying petroleum (paraffin) products. These are: Petroleum smoke/exhaust contains many carcinogenic toxins and produces ugly black soot Petroleum is not a renewable resource and it is of a limited supply Burning petroleum products creates air pollution and contributes to global warming Paraffin candles contain up to 11 carcinogenic compounds which have been deemed ï¿½toxic air contaminantsï¿½ by the State of California.

An air quality researcher, David Krause, has documented evidence that candle soot particles contain many of the same compounds given off from burning diesel fuel. No one really knows when the first candle was invented, but in Roman times candles were made of the pith of certain rushes, peeled except on one side, and dipped in animal fat, so animal fat was always a factor. Today, tallow candles are still made from ï¿½renderedï¿½ sheep or beef fat from around the cowï¿½s kidneys, so little wonder they can go rancid, can cause irritations in sensitive people, and smell awful once you know exactly what it is your nose is picking up! A fine alternative to animal tallow is vegetable tallow, a substance resembling tallow, obtained from various plants. Chinese vegetable tallow is obtained from the seeds of the tallow tree, and Indian vegetable tallow is a name sometimes given to piney tallow. Vegetable wax is also a safe ingredient. This is simply a waxy excretion on the leaves or fruits of certain plants, such as the bayberry. By the Middle Ages candles were common.

Tallow, beeswax, and vegetable wax such as bayberry in North American, candleberry in the East, and waxberry in South America, were later supplemented by whale oil (spermaceti) and by stearine or stearic acid in the early 1800s (this is still obtained from plants which process the carcasses of dogs and cats killed in animal pounds and shelters), then by paraffin in the mid-1800s. Somewhere along the way, people learned to pour beeswax over the wicks. Hereï¿½s why to avoid it: Whether we are stealing honey, royal jelly, pollen, propolis, or wax from bees, these incredible little insects-capable of complicated communication documented in their dances and of a social network compared to which our most carefully designed modern communities pale, suffer and die quite needlessly. First, smoke is blown into the beesï¿½ hives to make the bees easier to deal with. Next, a ï¿½bee brushï¿½ is used to crudely sweep away the bees who rush from the hive and succumb to the smoke. In sweeping them aside, the wire tines break off their legs and wings.

Bee farmers then remove the honey and the honeycomb, which is, of course, the hiveï¿½s main source of nourishment, and replace it with cheap white sugar. Animal wax used in candles (and certain other products, including some polishes, crayons and lip balms) comes from the honeycomb. Itï¿½s easy to pick out ï¿½clean candlesï¿½ as, usually, candle ingredients are marked on them, but sometimes you do have to poke about a bit or ask sales assistants to call the manufacturer for more details than given on the labels. Instead of beeswax-coated wicks, you can also buy paper, hemp and cotton wicks. Next time you buy or light a candle, you can really shine! Nourished and Nurtured: Tallow Container Candles Thursday, December 1, 2011 Tallow Container Candles Tallow, which is rendered beef fat, was traditionally used to make candles hundreds of years ago. The last time I rendered some tallow, I found that making tallow candles is very easy! We've been enjoying the soothing light created by these tallow candles in the evenings.

And I have not noticed any beefy smell from these candles. They would also make a wonderful Christmas present! Tallow Container Candles hot glue gun and glue sticks small mason jars (or other glass containers of your choice) cotton wick material pure tallow spoons and clothespins (for centering the wicks in the jars) Plug in your glue gun so it can start warming up. I like to place it over a paper towel to catch any little drips. Cut wicks to the appropriate size for your containers. Make sure you leave a bit extra to be glued onto the bottom of the jar, as well as for holding the wick in the center of the jars. It worked well for me to make the wicks about 2 inches longer than the height of my jars. Use hot glue to glue the wicks to the middle of the bottom of the jars. Use a spoon and clothespin to stand the wick upright in the jar. Try your best to get the wick right in the middle of the jar.OF course, if you pull too hard the glue wil detach from the bottom of the jar. Melt the tallow.

I actually just scooped it right off the top (once it had been strained) the last time I rendered tallow, which saved the step of melting it. Pour the tallow into the jars. Let them sit for several hours or overnight to harden before you remove the spoons and clothespins. Allow the candles to fully harden before you light them. This will take at least 12 hours. Beware that the tallow does not get super-hard like paraffin candles from the store (I'm sure this depends on just how cool your house is in the winter). Trim the wicks and light the candles. Enjoy the soothing atmosphere of candlelight! Candle Making History | Candlewic The History of Candles and Candlemaking Share: Candles have been used for thousands of years and up until the early 1900s they were the single source for artificial light. Candles also have a rich tradition in religious services in many faiths through-out history. Today, the candle is no longer the single source of light but is used abundantly in religious services as well as in birthday celebrations, holidays, and home decorations. Make Your Own Candles!

Buy Candle Making Supplies Originally, candles were made from tallow, which was extracted from cattle and sheep, in the early Egyptian and Roman times. These early candles burned poorly and probably smelled even worse. The Roman Empire was the first to provide evidence of a candle that resembles the candle today. They melted the tallow until it was a liquid and poured it over fibers of flax, hemp, and/or cotton, which were used as a wick. These candles were used in religious ceremonies as well as lighting for their travel and homes. Types of Candles There are a wide array of candles and candle types that are on the market today. Candles are either created to be free standing or to be filled in a vessel. The candles are broken down into categories: A very small cylindrical candle that is in its own aluminum or polycarbonate holder. HURRICANE CANDLES A very unique candle that has an outer shell that typically has dried flowers, shells, and/or other items embedded in the wax. The candle is designed to burn down the middle, illuminating the outer shell. During the Middle Ages candles became more prevalent in worship. It was at this time that beeswax was used to make candles.

These beeswax candles were made much like the Romans made their candles with tallow. Beeswax was a drastic improvement from the tallow, but limited quantities were available, which made it expensive limiting it to clergy and the upper class. In colonial America the early settlers discovered that they were able to obtain a very appeasing wax by boiling the berries from the bay-berry shrub. This wax created a very sweet smelling and good burning candle; however the process of making the bayberry wax was very tedious and tiresome. In the 18th century the whaling industry thrived and as a result, whale oil was available in large quantities. Spermaceti wax was derived from the whale oil and was used as a replacement for tallow, beeswax, and bayberry wax. The spermaceti wax candle did emit a rather unpleasant smell but the wax was hard enough to hold shape in the hot summer months. The 19th century was a defining time for the candles and candle making. The first patented candle making machines were introduced. This breakthrough allowed candles to reach the homes of all classes.

It was also right around this same time that a chemist named Michael Eugene Chevreul identified for the first time that tallow or animal fat consisted of various fatty acids. One of the fatty acids he identified was stearine (stearic acid). In 1825, Chevreul and another chemist named Joseph Gay Lussac patented a process for candle making from crude stearic. This process drastically improved the quality of candles. The braided wick was also invented in the 19th century. Wicks before this time were made simply of twisted strands of cotton, which burned very poorly and needed constant maintenance. The braided wick was tightly plaited and a portion of the wick curled over and enabled it to be completely consumed. It was in the middle of the 19th century that paraffin wax was first used in a candle in Battersea, UK. This led to the commercial production of paraffin, which is an oil distillate. Paraffin burned clean, bright and without an odor. The paraffin was also blended with stearic acid, which hardened the wax and created a superior and cheaper candle.

Today the candle market offers candle lovers a wide variety of candles produced from a wide variety of waxes: paraffin, vegetable waxes, beeswaxes and the newest trend of gel waxes. These candles are offered in a myriad of colors, shapes, designs and fragrances. Candles are no longer the sole source of light but they are desired for their ambience, home decoration and fragrance. The History of Candle Making Continues with You! Get started!

Question: Tallow, Beeswax, Spermaceti, and Paraffin are traditionally used in making?
Answer: Candles