LIGHTS, USE OF, IN PUBLIC WORSHIP, a practice which prevailed in the Jewislt (Exodus xxv. 31-89) and in most of the ancient religions, and which is retained both in the Roman and in the oriental churches. The use of lights in the night-services, and in subterranean churches, such as those of the early Christians in the catacombs, is of course easily intelligible; but the practice, as bearing also a symbolical allusion to the "Light of the world " and to the "Light of faith" was not confined to occasions of necessity, but appears to have been from an early time an accompaniment of Christian worship, especially in connection with the sacraments of baptisin and the cucharist.. The time of the service in which lights are used bas varied very much in different ages. St. Jerome speaks of it only during the reading of the gospel; Amalarius, from the ; beginning of the mass till the end of the gospel; Isidore of Seville, from the gospel to the end of the canon; and eventually it was extended to the entire time of the mass_ In other services, also, lights have been used from an early period. Lighted tapers
were placed in the hand of the newly-baptized, which St. Gregory Nazianzen interprets cis emblems of future glory. Indeed, in the Roman Catholic church, the most profuse use of lights is reserved for the services connected with that sacrament. The usage of blessing the paschal light is described elsewhere. •See IIOLY WEEK. The material used for lights in churches is either oil or wax, the latter in penitential time and in services for the dead being of a yellow color. In the Anglican church, candlesticks and, in some instances, candles themselves are retained in many churches on the communion table, but they arc not lighted. The retention of them is greatly favored by the " high church" party, and much disapproved by the " low church" or " evangelical " party. In the Presbyterian and Independent churches of Britain, America, etc., the symbolical use of lights and candlesticks is rejected as superstitious.