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ILLUMINATIONS
 Moravians have long been enthralled with the use of light, particularly candlelight, to express their belief that Christ came to light the world. Using a special formula of tallow and beeswax, Moravian chandlers have been making candles by hand for generations. Even now the Lititz congregation produces thousands of candles for church services and a few for sales in the church’s gift shop. Until 1958, these churchmen also made the thousands of tapers used for the annual Fourth of July illumination in Lititz Springs Park. In Moravian tradition the candles represent our “light so shining before men that they may see the good works and glorify the Father in Heaven.” There are numerous expressions of illumination.
One of the earliest practices of illumination was the placing of a lighted candle in the windows of Moravian homes during the Christmas season. Historical sources indicate that Moravian settlements at Christmastime looked to neighboring villages in Germany almost as if they were ablaze. The lighted candle in a window tells guests that they will find sure welcome and the presence of Christ within.
Illumination is an important part of the Christmas Eve Vigil. Surely, much of Christendom has adopted some form of this candlelight service. When worshipers raise their candles aloft at the close of the Vigil, they are, indeed, rededicating themselves to the call of Jesus to be “a light in the world.”
Last, but not least, among the Moravian illuminations is the now familiar Moravian Star with 26 points symbolizing the birth of Christ, remembering the wise men who followed the Star to Bethlehem. The original Moravian Stars were made of parchment paper and illumined first with tiny whale oil lamps, and then candles. The Stars are displayed beginning on the first Sunday of Advent, and remain through Epiphany.
The first Moravian stars were made about 1850 by a teacher in the Moravian school at Niesky, Germany. It soon spread beyond the classroom and in 1880 Peter Verbeck began making the stars for sale in Herrnhut. Several church groups and commercial firms now make the stars and they are displayed by Christians of many denominations.
In Lititz the Moravian practice of candle lighting is also the way the larger community celebrates the Nation’s birthday. Since 1843 the highlight of the Fourth of July celebration has been the illumination of Lititz Springs Park with candles. According to Park historian Ronald Reedy, ”the first illumination of the ‘Spring' on July 4, 1843, was the grandest affair ever to occur in Lititz. The candle lighting custom had been ‘borrowed’ from the most popular portion of the Christmas Vigil of the Moravians. Thus a cherished, continuing Independence Day tradition was begun.” On July 4th, 2007, more than 7,000 candles were used illumine Lititz Springs Park.
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Lititz Moravian Congregation | 8 Church
Square | Lititz, PA 17543 | 717 626-8515 |
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