Light up a candle

Lighting a candle in a church and dedicate it to a saint. What does it means?

If you try to ask those who do it, it is very likely that the answer is: "to ask something to the saint," or "to strengthen their prayers with a tangible and visible offer"

From a strictly theological point it means to prolong our presence in the prayer for the time in which the candle will remain lit.

It is the flame, or the light connected to it, that symbolize the soul of the praying faithful.

The offer that is made to light up the candle also has an importance not negligible, in fact it symbolizes the act of deprive yourself of something to give it to the saint.

If you consider how high the economic value of a wax candle, or of the oil needed to turn on a lamp was in the past , , you can better understand the ritual significance connection with the offer. Then a narrow interpretation of the meaning of the rite is that the money offered is property of the Holy, who shall decide on the destination.