Since my youth, I have been captivated by the sanctuary lamp. There is nothing like praying in a dark church and seeing the red sanctuary lamp. The little flame seems to dance for Jesus, almost like a little beating heart or tiny night watchman keeping the Prisoner of Love company. Jesus is the Greatest Prisoner, for He is the only One who freely locks Himself in a tabernacle, just waiting for one sigh of love, one visit.
The sanctuary lamp is the first thing I look for when I enter a Catholic church, for it tells me that the Second Person of the Blessed Trinity is in our midst. Yes, Jesus is there, dwelling among us mere mortals. In a similar way, when we drive by a person’s house and a light is on, we instinctively think that someone is home.
Sadly, we can tell a lot about a Catholic church when the sanctuary lamp is hidden, perhaps in some back room, or when it is not replenished in a timely manner. It can suggest that Jesus is not the King of our lives but rather an unwelcome and forgotten guest. Or that there are no consecrated hosts in the tabernacle, so Jesus is not home. Part of the reason for our lack of devotion and understanding of our Faith stems from ignorance of our roots.
Where did the practice of placing a sanctuary lamp near the tabernacle come from? Or is it another invention of the Catholic Church, as many accuse her of?
The tradition of the sanctuary lamp began a long time ago. It comes from the Bible, in the Book of Exodus:
And you shall command the people of Israel that they bring to you pure beaten olive oil for the light, that a lamp may be set up to burn continually. In the tent of meeting, outside the veil which is before the testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening to morning before the Lord. It shall be a statute for ever to be observed throughout their generations by the people of Israel. (27:20–21)
God told His people to keep a lamp burning continually in the tent of meeting as a sign that He was with them. In the same way, the sanctuary lamp we use today stays lit day and night in every Catholic church or chapel. Before the twentieth century, the norms required olive oil or some other vegetable oil, and wax candles like those we use today were only allowed with permission.
Today’s Code of Canon Law defines this important light as such, “A special lamp which indicates and honors the presence of Christ is to shine continuously before a tabernacle in which the Most Holy Eucharist is reserved” (Can. 940). Furthermore, the term “sanctuary” signifies something that is “holy” and “sacred.”
This special light reminds us that Jesus is truly present in the tabernacle—Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity. It also reminds us that His love for us never ends. The constantly burning light shows us how Jesus wants our hearts to burn with love for Him, just as His Heart burns with love for us. In a mysterious way, the sanctuary lamp also represents Christ, who is the “light of the world” (Jn. 8:12).
My lifelong love for the sanctuary lamp led me to recently write a children’s book called A Tale of the Sanctuary Lamp. This fictional story involves a Benedictine monk named Br. Seraphim from the French monastery of Mont-Saint-Michel Abbey, who faithfully cares for the sanctuary lamp.
Many parishes and especially religious orders have sacristans whose main job is to not only prepare and clean the vessels for Mass, but also to replace the sanctuary lamp candle when it burns out. Many sanctuary candles can last as long as seven days. There is truly something spiritual about the sanctuary lamp—a powerful message for each of us.
The sanctuary lamp reminds us that our hearts must burn with love for the Holy Eucharist. It also reminds us that being near Jesus in the Holy Eucharist is the highest service we can offer to God, like the angelic beings closest to the Lord in Heaven—the seraphim. In fact, one mystic said that by every tabernacle there are at least 10,000 angels in adoration. Hence the light suggests that we are in the presence of the Holy of Holies. And if Jesus is present, then certainly His Mother Mary is too.
The red sanctuary case could also indicate the blood of Christ, reminding us of Jesus’ supreme sacrifice. At the same time, red in our culture symbolizes a warning. A red light indicates stop. Perhaps Jesus wants us to stop in our tracks and bow down to this ineffable mystery of God’s radical humility.
On a side note, the devil mocks everything that is true, good, and beautiful…even the sanctuary lamp. The term “red light district” was allegedly introduced in the 19th century railroad in Kansas where red lanterns were used to mark houses of prostitutes. This term is still employed today. One red light, “the sanctuary lamp,” marks the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ, which is offered for sinners’ salvation, while another red light marks the flesh of mankind, which is offered for sinners’ destruction. Though we do not know whether the red lanterns were directly inspired to mock the sanctuary lamp, our world loves to profane all that is holy.
Finally, the sanctuary lamp should also be a sign for us in two ways. First, we are called to be vigilant and to “stay awake,” as Christ commands us for His second coming. This could involve making a weekly or monthly Eucharistic Holy Hour and taking your children for a brief visit to the church after running errands. Second, just as many sanctuary lamps last only seven days, so too with our passing lives. We have a short time on earth to shine our light and to remain in a state of grace. One day, we will die. And so, we must seek to resemble the sanctuary lamp by burning with love for our Eucharistic Lord. Making a spiritual communion from your home or even sending your guardian angel to the Tabernacle from your home are beautiful practices.
Every time we step into a Catholic church, our eyes should look for the sanctuary lamp. It reminds us that the Living God is truly present and that He desires our love. Above all, Jesus longs to dwell in the tabernacle of our souls and free us from everything that imprisons us.
Author’s Note: If you are interested in learning about the sanctuary lamp, check out Patrick O’Hearn’s latest book, which is illustrated by Adalee Hude and is available through Ave Lamb Books. This story is filled with elements of courage, devotion, jealousy, humility, and forgiveness along with promoting vocations to religious life.
Photo by Christian Liebel on Unsplash
