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02/04/2025
The ORTHODOX (not just Greek) Tradition
of the decorated Easter Candle, the Lambada
The custom of holding a candle on that glorious night-day of the Resurrection of Christ has more than one meaning. The light disperses the darkness of the night, as well as the darkness of mind, which is due to the spiritual ignorance of many people. With the Resurrection of Christ, we all are enlightened with the knowledge that Christ has conquered death and through His death has bestowed on us the everlasting life. The light of the Easter candle shows the light that dwells inside us. The frightful Hades has no place in our hearts because the heart is filled by the new life of the Resurrection.
Candles are an important part of the Orthodox services, sacraments, and spiritual expressions. Candles are the most significant part of Orthodox Easter. In ancient Greece, the flame of the candle was a witness to the spiritual exercise. They would decorate or “dress” the candle, as it was a witness to the important event. When the Greeks converted to Christianity, they kept this tradition. This expression is seen in the Orthodox sacraments of weddings and baptisms, where the candles used in the service are ornately decorated. The candle is a witness, and it is a vessel to carry the “light” through the world, as such it must be decorated for its importance. During the Turkish occupation, in many cases the candles were truly the ONLY witnesses to marriages and baptisms since they were outlawed. The custom of two very large candles on either side of the marriage sacramental table were necessary to provide hours of light in the cave-churches for the priests to be able to conduct the long ceremony underground. As a guest and witness to these events, the candles were dressed up gloriously like a member of the wedding party would be.
Decorated candles hold an important role in the Easter tradition as well. In most Greek families, Godparents buy for their godchildren a decorated Easter Candle, called the Lambada. These candles are usually decorated with jewels or small toys that are attached to the candle with a colorful ribbon. But why is this a tradition?
In many Orthodox countries, it is customary that the Godparents provide everything their godchild needs to attend church for Easter, new clothes, new shoes, and their Easter candle. Godparents must make sure that there are no excuses or obstacles for the child to attend and be prepared for church on its most important day. Everything is new, the clothes, the shoes, the candle, because everything was made new again through the Resurrection. We wear our “Sunday best” to church because this is a way to exercise making this day stand out from all the other days. The feast days too must stand out from the other days. It is the Godparents responsibility that their godchildren are always prepared to “receive the light”.
In Orthodox tradition, the Godparent is someone the parents choose to raise their child in case something happened to them, like a surrogate parent if you will. Obviously, they are responsible that the parents and others in the child’s life are raising the child in the Christian traditions, and they are responsible for the spiritual growth of the child. In this role, a Godparent loves their godchild as their own and will give them toys and sweets as they would for their own children. This tradition is true for Easter as well as Christmas and the child’s name day. In more modern times, the Easter candle, the Lambada, has been combined with toy gifts, as well as being decorated in a way that brings the child joy. For example, if a child loves Disney princesses, the Lambada will be decorated like a Disney princess, just to bring more joy to the child and have them look forward to celebrating Easter.
