In the religious tradition of lighting a lamp from ancient times, the substance itself was of the most important, sacred significance. The Lord instructed Moses in this way: “And command the sons of Israel to bring you pure oil, knocked out of olive trees, for illumination, so that the lamp burns at all times” (Ex. 27:20). “And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: tell the sons Israel, that they may make offerings to Me; From every person who has diligence, accept offerings to Me. These are the offerings you are to receive from them... oil for the lampstand, fragrances for the anointing oil... And they will build a sanctuary for me, and I will dwell in their midst...” (Ex. 25:1–3, 6, 8).

The Lord commanded to kindle in the lamp only the purest fuel - olive oil, oil, which the Israelites were to bring to the temple as a voluntary sacrifice.

Oil ( from the Greek Elaia- oil from the fruit of the olive, firs; ointment oil) - is the purest extra virgin olive oil, which in those days was obtained from the best fruits of the olive tree (olives), beating with a stick or squeezing in presses (Ex. 27:20; Deut. 24:20; Mic. 6:15). In the Old Testament, fir is also called wood oil(1 Chron. 27:28), since olive oil is obtained from the fruit that grows on the tree. The oil obtained from seeds is usually called vegetable oil. Therefore, oil and wood oil are different names for the same thing: olive oil.

In ancient Palestine, oil, along with bread and wine, was one of the main products of agriculture (Num. 18:12; Deut. 7:13; Neh. 10:39, 13:5) and nutrition (1 Sam. 17:14; 1 Sam. 17:12-16; 1 Chronicles 12:40). It was called "liquid gold", it was an essential item and one of the most valuable goods: it was exported to Phoenicia, Egypt, Rome. Since ancient times, the healing properties of oil have been known: they were poured on wounds to relieve pain (Is. 1:6; Mk. 6:13; Lk. 10:34; Jas. 5:14), used as a disinfectant and cleanser; it was used to anoint the body and hair (Is. 61:3; Ps. 133:2). So, for example, according to Josephus Flavius, the sick Herod, on the orders of doctors, took a bath of oil (Jewish Antiquities, XVII, 6, 5). The wood of the olive tree is particularly durable, and in those days it was very much appreciated: various handicrafts and decorations for rich houses and the temple were made from it (1 Kings 6:23,31).

Oil was added to each flour sacrifice, it was used for sprinkling in the sanctuary, as well as for the blessing of dwellings (Ex. 27:20, 30:22-23; Lev. 2:1-2, 4-7, 14:26). Kings were anointed with oil (1 Sam. 10:1; 16:1,13; 1 Sam. 1:39; Kings 9:1-6): according to the custom in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, when the successor was proclaimed the monarch, the priest poured a goblet of oil on his head. Oil was considered a symbol of strength, spiritual purity, enlightenment and blessing; the rite of "anointing" spoke of the fact that power is bestowed from God, whose Spirit will henceforth dwell on the Chosen One. Therefore, each ruler of Israel (and sometimes a prophet) was called the Anointed One, the Messiah, or in Greek - Christ. However, over time, this title began to be attributed only to the great King of the future.

From the deepest antiquity in the sacred history of firs and olives are signs of spiritual truths. The dove released by Noah from the ark brought him a fresh olive leaf (Genesis 8:11) as evidence of the end of the flood and the appearance of dry land, as evidence that God's anger had ceased and was replaced by mercy (since oil "smoothes the waves", softens, cleanses , nourishes). Since then, the olive branch has been a symbol of peace between God and people, a symbol of people's peace among themselves, a symbol of rebirth, return and resurrection. In the Holy Scriptures, in many places, oil denotes joy (Ps. 44:8; Is. 61:3).

In addition to the listed variety of useful qualities of oil, its symbolic and cultural significance, it has clear advantages for lighting in lamps.

Firstly, olive oil was considered the purest of oils: when burned, it does not emit any harmful substances and does not form soot, thanks to these properties, combined with healing properties, it was more suitable than others for long-term burning in the temple premises and personified spiritual purity, enlightenment and blessing .

Secondly, the figurative association of the olive tree with light, which was widespread in antiquity, matters. The light of the olive is not only the light of the flame of burning oil, but also the radiance of the crown of the tree itself. When the wind plays with their leaves, the olive trees are surrounded by a silvery halo that sways like waves of light. The underside of the leaf is silvery white and the top side is deep green. This contrast creates the feeling that the trees radiate light.

IN New Testament the images of oil and olive are often used by the Savior and the apostles. In the future, the symbolism of oil deepens even more under the influence of Greek culture and language, on the one hand, and the special emphasis of the gospel sermon on the concept of mercy, on the other. The Savior's sermon says a lot about mercy and mercy: “Blessed are the merciful; for they shall receive mercy” (Matt. 5:7). And oil is often a symbol of God's mercy and human mercy.

Thus, in the parable of the merciful Samaritan, the Lord says that the Samaritan poured oil and wine on the wounds of a man who had suffered from thieves (Luke 10:34). In this, the salvific actions of God in relation to spiritually wounded humanity are indicated, on which the inexpressible mercy of God is poured out, giving the Only Begotten Son, so that He would wash away the sins of people with His Blood.

In the parable of the ten virgins, the Savior speaks of the abundance of oil in the lampstands of the wise virgins and the lack of it among the foolish. The wise had clean lamps and holy oil, but the foolish had only clean lamps. The lamps in this parable symbolize bodies, and the oil symbolizes mercy. The wise virgins had a virgin body with a virgin soul, but, in addition, great mercy towards the weaker ones, towards those who have not yet been freed from sin. The foolish strictly observed bodily chastity, but contemptuously, unmercifully treated the weaker ones, arrogantly condemned them and turned away from them with contempt. "The righteous are called unreasonable," said St. Nilus of Sinai, "because, having succeeded in a very difficult, even almost impossible task - the preservation of chastity, they neglected the small and easy." And they neglected mercy, sympathy, forgiveness, beneficence. Their lamp is clean, but empty and dark! When the hour of death comes, the body will be covered with earth, and the soul will set off on the path to its eternal homeland - it will shine and lead the oil of mercy.

In ancient times, there were many olive gardens in Palestine, they were often planted on the slopes of the mountains, so many places are toponymically associated with the olive and olive oil. They are also mentioned in Holy Scripture, where the association of these places with the olive has a symbolic meaning.

So, Gethsemane(from the ancient Hebrew Gat Shemen, which means "oil press") - an olive garden in the vicinity of Jerusalem at the foot of the Mount of Olives, behind the Kidron stream (John 18: 1). In the New Testament, the Garden of Gethsemane is described as Jesus' favorite resting place, where He was betrayed by Judas and prayed for the cup of suffering (Matt. 26:46; Mark 14:32). As a symbol of purification, peace, grace, the olive, and, accordingly, the olive grove is the best place for rest and prayer; it is symbolic that Jesus prayed to God the Father for mercy, for removing the cup of suffering from Himself, among the olive trees, which also symbolize the mercy of God. After the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, the Romans cut down all the trees around the city at a great distance, so nothing remained of the former Gethsemane.

Eleon- translated from Greek means "olive grove" (Acts 1:12). The Mount of Olives or the Mount of Olives (Heb. Har ha-Zeitim) rises about 60 m above Jerusalem, offering amazing views of the city and the mountains lying in the distance, the Jordan and the Dead Sea. Once its slopes were planted with orchards of olive trees. This mountain is mentioned in the Old Testament as a sacred burial place and as the place from which the second coming of the Savior will begin (2 Sam. 15:30-32). Here David worshiped God. From this mountain, Jesus ascended into heaven forty days after his resurrection (Acts 1:11). The ascension of Jesus from the Mount of Olives is deeply symbolic, since in the spiritual sense it means the pinnacle of God's mercy to people, elevating human nature to the heavenly chamber of glory and eternal life. Where did the word "oily" (unctuous, unctuous) come from with a figurative meaning - "softened" (and therefore "merciful")? The fact is that in Greek "mercy" is pronounced "eleos" (eleeo - compassionate, merciful) and has a common root with the word "oil" (from elaia - oil) - el-//-il-, which goes back to the ancient ancestral basis: cheerful, joyful; voluntary, giving; merciful, merciful; quiet, Holy Spirit Comforter. These basic meanings are expanded by additional ones: resinous, juicy (now oily); and knowing, enlightened (now light). Therefore, it is no coincidence that in ancient texts the words "oil", "oil" and "mercy", "mercy" coexist with the words "tree", "joy", "shines", "blessed", "comfort". They are designated in Greek: eleon, ileos, eleimones. The Prague Academic Dictionary (18), compiled based on Old Church Slavonic, Greek, Latin, German and other languages, contains many examples of such neighborhoods taken from the Bible, apocrypha, homily: May he send his angel to give oil from the tree of mercy.”(misericordiae Nicod. 19, Stojanovie 109, 10); "and there shall be oil of mercy for joy" ( Ibid. 109, 26 ); “where, like olive oil, before the eyes of God Almighty (the Worker of mercy) shines (fruits of mercy)(Gregorii Magni, Homiliae. Misericordiae fructus. Bes. 20, 110 bb 9 sq. - Exh.).

The consonance of the Greek words - eleos and elaion - indicates that oil, as a softening and healing substance, serves as a symbol of Divine mercy, softening our bitterness and healing our sinful ulcers.

Thus, Christianity adopted and preserved the deep religious and symbolic meaning of oil. And to this day, oil is widely used in the Christian Church. Oil is used in the ceremony of blessing bread: together with five loaves, wine and wheat grains, oil is also blessed as a nourishing and healing substance in diseases.

On the festive morning, the illumination of the church is enhanced by the burning of candles and oil, when psalms are sung about the many mercy of God to the chosen people and the refrain is repeated many times: “For His mercy is forever, alleluia!” In the church language, this part of the festive matins (which begins with the singing of psalms 134 and 135 - "Praise the name of the Lord" and - "Confess to the Lord" and continues until the beginning of the canon) is signified by the word polyeles(Greek polis - many and eleos - mercy; either from polis - many and elaion - firs). According to the first word-formation, polyelei means many-merciful, and according to the second - many-healthy. Others believe the reason for this name of this part of Matins is that in the polyeleic psalm 135 the word is repeated many times mercy(eleos) in the refrain - "like a century mercy His"; others in that during this part of Matins, the Charter prescribes, in honor of the feast, to intensify the illumination of the church by lighting candles and oil (elaion). Both of these reasons can be combined. Anointing of the Sick, symbolically depicting the outpouring of God's mercy on the anointed.

The rite of anointing is also present in the Sacraments: Baptism, Chrismation, Consecration of the Sick. In the Sacrament Unction a priest or bishop, when anointing a sick person with sanctified oil, asks for him, together with the Church, the grace of God, healing his spiritual and bodily infirmities. In this case, the oil carries the mercy of God to a sick person, expressed in the forgiveness (forgiveness) of his sins, the grace of the Holy Spirit, purifying and spiritually reviving a person, and healing power from bodily and mental illnesses.

The Holy Apostle James, in his Catholic Epistle, pointed out about the Sacrament of the Unction: “Is any of you sick, let him call for the presbyters of the Church, and let them pray over him, anointing him in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will restore him; and if he has done sins will be forgiven him" (James 5:14-15). The consecration of the oil is desirable by several (according to the breviary - seven) priests (hence the other names - unction), but it is also allowed by one. The rite of unction consists of a blessing, the beginning of the usual canon, litanies for the sick, consecration of oil with priestly prayer, reading the Apostle seven times and the Gospel seven times (passages that tell about repentance, about healing, about the need to believe and trust in God, and also to be compassionate and merciful). After each reading of the Apostle and the Gospel, a litany is pronounced and a sacramental prayer is read with the anointing of the sick with oil. After the seventh, last anointing, the priest puts the gospel on the patient's head and reads a permissive prayer. The number "seven" is a symbolic sign of the Church and her fullness. For this reason, the very anointing of the sick and the prayers for the remission of his sins and healing are repeated seven times. Oil in the sacrament of unction is usually used mixed with wine.

The healing power of anointing with holy oil is evidenced by many miracles that occurred through the prayers of saints. So, in the life of St. Seraphim of Sarov, the following miracle is described.

One winter, a sick woman was brought on a sledge to the monk's monastery cell. The patient was all crouched, her knees brought to her chest. She was brought into the elder's dwelling and laid on the floor. Father Seraphim asked her:

Where are you from, mother?

From the Vladimir province.

How long have you been sick?

Three years and a half.

What is the cause of your illness?

Before, father, I was of the Orthodox faith, but they gave me in marriage to an Old Believer. I changed the sign of the cross to two fingers and did not go to church.

Do you believe in the Holy Orthodox Church again?

I believe, father, - answered the patient.

Then Father Seraphim folded his fingers in the Orthodox way, laid a cross on himself and said:

Cross yourself like this in the name of the Trinity.

Father, I would be glad, - the patient answered, - but I don’t own my hands.

Father Seraphim took the oil from the lamp from his icon of the Mother of God "Tenderness" and anointed the patient's chest and hands. Suddenly she began to straighten, even her joints cracked, and immediately she received perfect health.

One brother asked Father Seraphim: why does he anoint those who come to him from the lamp burning in his cell in front of the icon? The father answered as follows: “We read in Scripture that the Apostles anointed with oil, and many sick people were healed from this. Whom should we follow if not the Apostles?” The holy elder also followed this custom, and therefore the anointed received healing. In the Sacrament christening oil, consecrated by a special prayer, is used to anoint the one who approaches St. Baptism. From olive oil (with an admixture of special aromas) myrrh is also made, which serves to make Chrismation- The Sacrament, in which the believer, when the body is anointed with holy oil, is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit for sanctification, strengthening and growth of his spiritual life.

In all the Sacraments the grace of the Holy Spirit is given, but Confirmation is the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit par excellence; it completes Baptism. There - spiritual birth, here already - spiritual growth. When anointing different parts of the body, the priest each time says: "The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit." This seal is a mark that testifies that a person has become God's. The main gift of the Holy Spirit is love, in comparison with which everything is nothing. The fruits of the Holy Spirit include "goodness, righteousness and truth" (Eph. 5:9), "joy, peace, long-suffering, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance" (Gal. 5:22-23), silence, sweetness, warmth , fragrance, light. These gifts of the Holy Spirit are uncreated: the holy fathers call them Divine energies, that is, the manifestation of Divine life, which is given to us from the Father through the Son in the Holy Spirit, and with which we partake, bearing the fruits of the Spirit (St. Seraphim of Sarov).

Thus, oil is an image-symbol (as far as its spiritual depth differs): compassion and mercy of God; the light of the Divine, enlightening every person; the tree of Life; Holy Spirit and His gifts (joy, peace, mercy, meekness).

III. Spiritual meaning of a burning lamp

Pure sacrifice

In the ancient temples there was twilight even on the brightest day. Twilight is not darkness, not a complete absence of light, but a symbol of earthly human life, immersed in the twilight of sin and ignorance, in which, however, the light of Faith, the light of God, shines: “And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not embrace it” ( John 1:5).

The twilight in the temple is an image of that mental spiritual twilight that surrounds the mysteries of God. The light in the true sense for the church consciousness is only the Divine light, the light of Christ, the light of the future life in the Kingdom of God.

As we have said above, the symbols of this true light since ancient times have been burning lamps and candles in front of the shrines. Church lamps have always had a spiritual and symbolic meaning, enshrined in the charter of the Church. They are lit both at night and during the day during daytime services, when the light from the windows is sufficient for general illumination. In statutory cases, church lamps during evening and night services can be lit in very small quantities. And when reading the Six Psalms at the all-night vigil, it is supposed to extinguish all candles, except for the candles in the middle of the temple for the reader, in front of the icons of Christ, the Mother of God and the temple icon in the iconostasis. But during the festive and Sunday services, all the lamps are lit according to the order, including the upper ones - the chandelier and the polykandila, creating an image of that full light of God that will shine upon the faithful in the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the Explanatory Notes to the Charter of the Divine Services of the Orthodox Church there is a special chapter "On Lamps and Lighting", which describes in detail the symbolism and purpose of each of the lamps (candlesticks, censers, lamps).

The image and form of lamps are largely determined by its purpose and location. A single fire of a lamp can mean one of the saints of the Church. Floor lamps their prototype is the Deity, which appears to people, according to the Old Testament, in the form of fiery entities: a pillar that led the people of Israel through Egypt, a burning bush that appeared to Moses. Any lamp with candles, variously placed on each lamp, can serve as an image of a burning bush. The church chandelier, the largest of all temple lamps, has a special status.

"Handbook of a clergyman" interprets chandelier descending from above into the central part of the temple, and polycandyla, located in the side aisles, as symbols of “assembly, constellation of people, sanctified by the grace of the Holy Spirit, enlightened by the fire of faith, burning with the fire of love for God...” A 15th-century liturgist. Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessalonica, likens the candles in the horos to the stars, and calls the circle where the candles are placed the firmament. The church chandelier carries the characteristics of the three highest angelic ranks: Seraphim as beings “flaming, or burning”; Cherubim, having the property of "an abundance of knowledge, or an outpouring of wisdom"; and Thrones, capable of “constantly rising above everything below, peacefully striving to the heavenly”. Therefore, these lamps descend from above into that part of the temple where the assembly of the earthly Church stands, called to spiritually strive upward, towards its heavenly brethren.

The most important place in the temple - behind the throne in the altar - occupies menorah. Its most ancient prototype, which was mentioned above, is described in the Old Testament, during the construction of the Tabernacle of Moses. In the Apocalypse, the seven stars mean the seven Angels of the seven churches, and the seven candlesticks mean the seven churches, the seven spirits of God (Rev. 1:20, 4:5). Seven lamps burn before the throne of the Almighty. This explains the number of lamps in the menorah. The menorah is also characterized by the shape of a stylized tree. Located behind the throne in the altar, that is, in the very center of the church, in the heart of its microcosm, this lamp symbolizes the world tree of life, which grew in the center of the Old Testament Paradise.

Another type of church lamps - lampadas, which, like the stars in the sky, shine in multitudes in the semi-darkness of the church. It is no coincidence that two sources of light are placed in front of the icons at once: a candlestick with wax candles and a lamp with burning oil. Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica, explaining the symbolic meaning wax, says that pure wax means the purity and innocence of the people who bring it. It is brought as a sign of our repentance in perseverance and readiness to continue to obey God, like the softness and suppleness of wax. Wax produced by bees after collecting nectar from many flowers and trees symbolically means an offering to God, as if on behalf of the whole creation. A burning wax candle - the transformation of wax into fire - means deification, the transformation of an earthly person into a new creature under the influence of fire and the warmth of Divine love and grace.

Oil, like wax, means the purity and sincerity of a person in his worship of God. Therefore, oil is burned in front of holy icons - in temples and in the homes of believers. But it also has another meaning: testifying to the purity of human relations with God, oil is a sign of God's mercy to people - it softens wounds, has a healing effect, approves food. So, in front of the icon there is a symbolic meeting, a dialogue between the Heavenly Father and his flock.

On the iconostasis and almost in front of every icon-case in the temple there are one or several lamps, there are candlesticks with burning candles. According to the holy rights. John of Kronstadt, “the lamps burning in front of the icons mean that the Lord is an impregnable light and a consuming fire for unrepentant sinners, and for the righteous, purifying and life-giving fire; that the Mother of God is the Mother of light and the purest light Herself, glimmering, shining throughout the entire universe, that she is a burning and unburned bush, which has received the fire of the Divine into Herself without burning - the fiery throne of the Almighty ... that the saints are lamps, burning and shining all over the world with their faith and virtues ". He said the same thing in the 7th century A.D. Sophronius, Patriarch of Jerusalem: "The lamps and candles are the image of the eternal Light, and also mean the light with which the righteous shine."

Saint is right. John of Kronstadt continues: “The fire of burning ... candles and lamps ... serve for us as an image of spiritual fire - the Holy Spirit, descending in fiery tongues on the apostles, scorching our sinful filth, enlightening our minds and hearts, igniting our souls with the flame of love for God and for each other. friend. The fire in front of the holy icons reminds us of the fiery love of the saints for God, because of which they hated the world and all its charms, all untruth; reminds us that we must serve God, pray to God with a fiery spirit, which for the most part we do not have, for we have cold hearts. So, in the temple everything is instructive, and there is nothing idle, unnecessary.

St. Gregory the Theologian in his "Sermon for Holy Baptism" attaches a mysterious meaning to the pious custom of lighting lamps: "The lamps that you kindle mysteriously form the illumination there, with which we, pure and virgin souls, will go out to meet the bridegroom, having clear lamps of faith."

As a generalization of the versatility of the spiritual meaning of a burning lamp, the words from the “Missionary Teachings” of St. Nicholas of Serbia sound: “Why is a lamp lit in front of an icon? Firstly, because our faith is light. Christ said: I am the light of the world (John 8, 12. The light of the lamp reminds us of the light with which the Savior illuminates our souls. Secondly, in order to remind us of the bright disposition of the saint, in front of whose icon we light the lamp. For the saints are called sons of light (John 12, 36. ) Thirdly, in order to serve us as a reproach for our dark deeds, evil thoughts and desires, and in order to call us to the path of the gospel light, so that we would more zealously take care of the fulfillment of the Savior's commandment: So let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds (Matt. 5, 16.) Fourthly, so that she becomes our small sacrifice to the Lord, Who sacrificed all of Himself for us, a small sign of great gratitude and our bright love for Him, Whom in our prayers we ask for life, health and salvation - all that only boundless Heavenly Love can give. Fifthly, to frighten the forces of evil that sometimes attack us during prayer, diverting our thoughts from the Creator. For the forces of evil love darkness and tremble at light, especially that which serves God and His saints. Sixth, to encourage us to sacrifice. Just as oil and a wick burn in a lamp, submissive to our will, so let our souls burn with the flame of love, in all sufferings submissive to the will of God. Seventhly, to remind us that just as a lamp cannot be lit without our hand, so our heart, this inner lamp of ours, cannot be lit without the holy fire of Divine grace, even if it is filled with every virtue. For our virtues are the fuel that the Lord kindles with His fire” (Missionary Teachings, letter 18).

Since ancient times, many miracles have been known in which, with the help of burning lamps and oil, the firmness of faith in the Lord God was tested and God's mercy to believers was signified. So, at the end of the 2nd century in the Jerusalem Church, God performed a miracle: when there was no oil for the lamps in the church on Easter, Bishop Narkis ordered to pour well water into the lamps - and they burned all Easter, as if they were filled with the best oil.

And in our baptized land, many miracles were revealed, revealing the meaning of this church tradition. In the monastery of St. Theodosius of the Kiev Caves, the following incident once occurred. The feast of the Assumption of the Most Holy Theotokos was approaching, and there was no wooden oil in the church to light the lamps on that day; and the church builder conceived the idea of ​​squeezing oil out of the seeds of the field and filling the lamps with it instead of wood. Asking Rev. Theodosius and having received his blessing, the builder acted as he planned. When he was about to pour the prepared oil into the lamps, he saw a dead mouse in a vessel with oil. Then he hurried to the monk and told him about what had happened, assuring him that he covered the vessel with oil with all care and did not understand how the mouse got in there. The monk, realizing that this happened according to God's care, condemned his unbelief and said to him: “We need, brother, to have hope in God and trust that He is strong to give us what we need; and not to do out of unbelief what you should not. Go, pour some oil on the ground, and, praying to God, let us endure a little, and He will give us oil in abundance today.” When the monk gave this order to the builder and prayed, it was already the evening hour. At this time, a rich man brought a large barrel filled with wooden oil as a gift to the monastery. Seeing this, the monk glorified God that He heard his prayer so soon. All the lamps were filled with oil, and an even greater part of it remained. And on the next day they brightly celebrated the feast of the Most Holy Theotokos.

The Reverend Elder Seraphim of Sarov, in his prayer for the dead and the living, attached particular importance to the sacrificial meaning of the lamps and candles burning in his cell. In November 1831, Father Seraphim himself, in a conversation with N.A. Motovilov explained this.

“I,” said Nikolai Alexandrovich, “seeing a lot of lamps at Father Seraphim, especially many heaps of wax candles ... I thought to myself: “Why is Father Seraphim lighting so many candles and lamps, producing unbearable heat in his cell from the heat of fire ? And he, as if silencing my thoughts, said to me:

Do you want to know, your love of God, why do I light so many lamps and candles in front of the holy icons of God? This is what it's for. I have, as you know, many people who are zealous for me and do good to my mill orphans (Diveyevo sisters - ed.). They bring me oil and candles and ask me to pray for them. That's when I read my rule, then I remember them first once. And since, by the multitude of names, I will not be able to repeat them at every place of the rule, where it should be, then I would not have enough time to complete my rule, then I put all these candles for them as a sacrifice to God, for each one candle , for others - for several people one large candle, for others I constantly warm the lamps; and where it is necessary to commemorate them on the rule, I say: “Lord, remember all those people, Your servants, for their souls I kindled for You, poor, these candles and kandila” (that is, lampadas - ed.). And that this is not my, wretched Seraphim, human invention, or so, my simple zeal, based on nothing, then I will bring you to reinforce the word of Divine Scripture. The Bible says that Moses heard the voice of the Lord saying to him: “Moses, Moses! Rtsy to your brother Aaron, let the kandila kindle before Me day and night: this is more pleasing before Me and the sacrifice is favorable to Me. So, your love of God, why the Holy Church of God has adopted the custom of lighting kandilas, or lamps, before the holy icons of the Lord, the Mother of God, holy angels and holy men who have pleased God.

We light the lamps in front of the holy images, as the visible expression of the fire of our love for the Lord and for our neighbor from all our pure hearts. But if you offer a sacrifice, but do not have love for God and your neighbor in your heart, then your sacrifice to God is also in vain: “If you bring your gift to the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before altar, and go, first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift” (Matthew 5:23-24). You cannot truly love the Lord without loving your loved ones.

* * *

Unfortunately, today many do not know the spiritual meaning of the lamp and the oil burning in it and do not attach much importance to them; and therefore they do not hesitate to use cheap low-quality oil for lamps, made from various mixtures, flavored with perfume additives that hide the unpleasant smell of these surrogates. Today, such oil is often referred to as "wood", although it has nothing to do with olive oil. The original true meaning of "wood oil" is almost lost, and the name, due to its attractiveness, has been used for cheap oils. The reason for this substitution is the impoverishment of faith and piety and, as a result, a formal attitude towards church worship. This attitude the Lord called leaven of the Pharisees(Mark 8:15). For many, the icon lamp is only an external attribute of a temple or home icons, an element of decoration - and nothing more.

The main argument for using bad oil is its cheapness. But we must not forget that oil and wax as the most clean of the substances used for combustion, mean purity and sincerity an offering made to glorify the holy name of God (Ex. 27:20). Oil (oil), in particular, means the zeal of people, similar to the zeal of wise virgins who took oil with their lamps to meet the Bridegroom (Matt. 25:3,4), that is, it means the desire of Christians to be pleasing to God with their deeds, by life, and not only by faith (cf. Ps. 44:8) ”(A guide to the study of the Rule of Divine Services of the Orthodox Church by K. Nikolsky, St. Petersburg, 1874).

What then is the zeal of people who light cheap, but not pure oil in a lamp? Can their offering be called sincere and pure? Are we really going to take lamps with bad oil to meet the Lord Jesus for reasons of economy, justifying ourselves by the fact that we had nothing to buy good?

In the Old Testament, through the mouth of the prophet Malachi, the Lord reproached the priests for bringing an unworthy sacrifice to the holy altar: “You offer unclean bread on My altar, and say, ‘How do we dishonor You? - By saying: "The table of the Lord is not worthy of respect." And when you sacrifice the blind, isn't that evil? or when you bring the lame and the sick, isn't that evil? Bring it to your prince; Will he be pleased with you and receive you favorably? says the Lord of hosts. So, pray to God to have mercy on us; and when such things come from your hands, can he graciously receive you? says the Lord of hosts” (Mal. 1:7–9).

Is not unclean oil like a blind and lame sacrificial animal? And if we choose a gift for a loved one, then will we really be guided only by the consideration of cheapness, and not quality?

His Grace Nikanor, Bishop of Kherson and Odessa, said this in his teaching: « Has it been a long time since petty slyness became a favorable sacrifice to God? How long has the Russian proverb “On Thee, O God, what is worthless to me” lost its meaning, which captures and aptly outlines this unattractive feature of our home-grown Pharisees. After all, even in the Old Testament it was commanded that it is not fit to sacrifice to God that which is worthless to us (Lev. 22:21-22). And you, an Orthodox child of the New Testament, a Christian soul, and not a Jew, bring to the altar of the Lord not an ox, not a sheep, not a goat, but only a penny candle, and even here you strive to make it not even a penny, but a penny. Who are you deceiving like Ananias and Sapphira? Was not your being with you?"

One outward fulfillment of this commandment cannot save a person. Not only our sacrifice itself should be pure, but our deeds and thoughts: “Why do I need your multitude of sacrifices? says the Lord... when you stretch out your hands, I close my eyes from you; and when you multiply your supplications, I do not hear: your hands are full of blood. Wash yourself, cleanse yourself; remove your evil deeds from my eyes; stop doing evil; learn to do good, seek the truth, save the oppressed, defend the orphan, intercede for the widow. Then come and let us reason, says the Lord. If your sins be as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; if they are red like purple, they will be as white as a wave” (Isaiah 1:11, 15-18).

The Lord expects from His disciples, from us Orthodox Christians, not a gift in the form of the best and most precious oil, but our whole heart, our whole mind, our whole soul, all our strength, and in the Holy Spirit to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is what is greater than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. (Mark 12:32-33).

Only in this way will we be able to reach the Kingdom of God, the heavenly city, which “has no need of the sun or the moon for its illumination, for the glory of God has illuminated it, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Rev. 21:23).

IV.Olive oil

Until now, we have talked about the spiritual meaning and symbolism of a burning lamp and oil, about the historical prerequisites for the ritual of lighting lamps. We found out that oil - olive oil - as a symbol of a pure sacrifice to God since ancient times was the only canonically established type of oil that can be used to light lamps. Today, finding olive oil in stores is not difficult; but in order not to make a mistake when choosing and buying, you need to know the main characteristics of olive oil adopted in the modern world.

Nowadays, the production of olive oil is a large global industry that produces a variety of types of this oil, using various production methods. To help you navigate through the abundance on offer, we'll talk about the types of olive oil, how to distinguish quality oil from poor quality, and modern methods of producing it.

Olive oil (also firs, wood oil) is a non-drying vegetable fatty oil extracted from the pulp of the fruit of the olive tree (olive). The main characteristic of oil quality is acidity. This is the percentage of organic acids remaining in the oil after processing and refining. Generally, the higher the acidity, the more intense the smell of the oil; the lower the acidity, the higher the quality of the oil. Depending on the stage of maturation of the olives, the color of the oil changes from golden to dark green: yellow has oil from ripe fruits, green - from unripe ones. Green oils are usually bitter; yellow - almost tasteless.

The olive tree (Olea europaea, cultural olive, olive tree) is an ancient culture native to the Middle East. This is an evergreen subtropical fruit tree 4–12 m high. The leaves are small, dark green above, silvery gray below. The olive is a drought-resistant fruit tree that can withstand short-term frosts down to -15 C. It lives 300–400 years or more. Trees are known to be over 1500 years old. Productivity - 20–40 kg of fruits from a tree. Archaeologists say that the cultivation of olive trees began in the Mediterranean about six thousand years ago, hundreds of years earlier than vineyards.

Currently, Spain (more than 2.2 million hectares), Italy (1.5 million hectares), Greece (0.5 million hectares) have the largest olive plantations. On the territory of the former USSR, olives were grown in the Crimea, Transcaucasia, Turkmenistan, Krasnodar Territory. About 500 varieties of olives are known in the world, in the former USSR - about 80. Today, 99% of all olive oil in the world is produced in the Mediterranean regions. Local peasants treat it with deep respect and value it even more than another Mediterranean gift from heaven - wine. The olive trees are as meticulously cared for as a good vineyard, so that every harvest yields the best quality olives for oil. Spain occupies the first place in the world in the production of olive oil. Unlike other global olive oil exporters, Spain prohibits the production and export of olive oil mixed with other vegetable oils. This is one of the reasons for its high price in the world market.

Olive oil (especially Extra Virgen oil) is the undisputed leader among other vegetable oils in many respects. Firstly, it is rich in vitamins and very easy to digest: the body digests it almost 100 percent, while sunflower oil - only 80 percent. The reason is the high content of oleic acid, which is necessary for the vital activity of our body. Secondly, according to experts from the Institute of Nutrition, 100% olive oil does not release carcinogenic substances even after repeated heat treatment, and most importantly, olive oil heals. Mediterranean physicians have known about the healing properties of olives since antiquity. Due to the content of mono- and polyunsaturated acids, with constant use, olive oil helps slow down the wear and tear of the body, prevent cardiovascular diseases (coronary heart disease, hypertension, etc.), stabilize blood cholesterol levels, improve digestion, enhance the protective functions of the skin ( treatment of ulcers, burns, other skin diseases) and stimulation of bone growth.

Depending on the degree of processing of the fruits and the stages of their extraction, as well as on the quality characteristics of the product, olive oils are classified as follows: oil of the first cold pressing (Virgen), pressed with heat treatment and filtration (refined) and olive pomace oil (second pressing) .

1. Oil Extra Virgen- obtained exclusively by mechanical means, in which there are no irreversible changes in the composition of the oil (first cold pressing, virgin oil). The process consists only of washing, drying, spinning. Cold pressed oil Virgen most consistent oil of the Old Testament;

2. Refined oil Refinado- usually obtained by refining Virgen. Refining consists in the rapid evaporation of the oil without oxygen and condensation.

3. pomace oil Pomace- oil obtained from pomace and other by-products of olives (from the pomace of previous pressings), or from a mixture of oils of unknown origin (corresponds wood oil in the terminology of the 19th century).

Store olive oil in a dry and, most importantly, dark place, at a temperature of about 20 0C in a tightly closed container. At low temperatures (from +5 C and below) it can precipitate, without compromising quality. Upon subsequent heating to room temperature, this precipitate dissolves without a trace. By the formation of a precipitate during cooling, you can check the authenticity of the olive oil. Oil produced in the period from November to January may gradually lighten during long (up to a year) storage - this is normal and only indicates that the oil is “alive”. The oil of the first cold pressing (Extra Virgen) color of the cap on the bottle is usually green. The color of the cap on a bottle of refined olive oil is most often red, yellow, or brown.

The use of extra virgin olive oil as a lamp oil, as established in the Old Testament, is the most correct approach to the sacred rite. And today there is an opportunity not to deviate from the Old Testament prescriptions. But historically, it turned out that in the 19th century, substitutes and fakes of olive oil appeared in church use, partly due to the poor quality of the product supplied from abroad, partly due to the pursuit of cheapness. Various substitutes and falsifiers are still common today. Next, we will consider how and why the falsification of lamp oil took place in Russia, and also what are the possibilities for replacing olive oil with more affordable types of oils without compromising piety and health.

V. The falsification of lampada olive oil in Russia in the 19th century

Olive oil has always been supplied to Russia from abroad, as the weather and climatic conditions of our country do not allow it to be produced on an industrial scale. By the middle of the 19th century, more than a million poods of wooden (olive) oil were imported to Russia per year. However, it should be noted that even then this oil was of the lowest grade, had an unpleasant odor, and was absolutely unsuitable for food. Even then, three varieties of olive oil were distinguished: the highest grade - olive (Provencal highest), which was extracted by weak pressing of ripe fruits in the cold (3500 years ago it was called oil); second grade - ordinary Provencal, obtained by hot pressing, and wooden- from the pomace of the residues from the aforementioned pressing, by heating and distilling them with carbon sulfide. In fact, waste from the production of olive oil was used as a lamp. Often such oil was diluted already in the country of origin. Here is a quote from a well-known literary work from the middle of the 19th century, characterizing poor quality wood oil: “The moon is usually made in Hamburg; and it is being done wickedly ... The lame cooper makes it ... He laid a pitch rope and part wood oil; and that’s why the stench is terrible all over the earth, so you need to plug your nose ”(N.V. Gogol. Notes of a Madman). So the decline of piety led to a change in terminology. But, despite the poor quality, the cost of even low-grade wood oil remained quite high. Thanks to the development of industry, it began to be counterfeited on a huge scale. To falsify wooden oil, vegetable oils were used: coconut, rapeseed, castor, as well as hydrocarbon mineral oils (petroleum distillates), kerosene, fish oil and lard. A little olive oil was sometimes added to this mixture, and sometimes it was completely absent.

In the Moscow region at the end of the 19th century, there were 13 large factories that produced about 840,000 pounds of falsified wood oil per year. In addition to these factories, there were also numerous handicraft industries located in private apartments. Numerous manuals for cooking "garne oil" at home have appeared on sale. The Moscow manufacturer Davydov, who took out a patent for the manufacture of artificial wooden oil, called it " garlic oil". It consisted of a mixture of petroleum and cheap vegetable oils and was intended to be burned in light bulbs. Gradually, the distinction between garlic oil and wood oil was erased, and fake "wood oil" began to penetrate temples.

In the late 80s of the XIX century, the situation reached an extreme point, it was necessary to take vigorous measures to supply churches with pure lamp oil. By order of the Holy Synod, in 1888, a chemical analysis of 27 oil samples was carried out and the results were reported in the Church Gazette (Nos. 1, 2 for 1888). The diocesan authorities were asked to order their own lamp oil directly from abroad and arrange in the dioceses special warehouses for it at monasteries and diocesan candle factories. But that didn't help much. Economic considerations took precedence over piety: in Russia, the so-called. "market economy", which also affected the earthly part of the Church.

After the revolution of 1917, the issue of lamp oil was temporarily removed, as were many other issues related to the ritual side of worship. In the Soviet period, we had to use what we could get. In a hopeless situation, in violation of all canonical requirements, petroleum oils were forced into church use - transformer, perfume and a number of others. And about twenty years ago, or a little more, they were replaced by vaseline oil.

IN present time again there was an opportunity to choose: what kind of oil and what quality to use in worship, as well as in cell prayer. Unfortunately, the reality in today's Russia is that it cannot produce its own olive oil in large quantities, and it is very expensive for many to buy imported olive oil. Therefore, modern Church practice offers some already well-established solutions on this issue. The basic principle in choosing lamp oil, in our opinion, should be the following: if the means or any other reasons do not allow burning olive oil in lamps, then olive oil should be replaced with at least olive oil. clean and high quality, at least in this accordance with the instructions of Holy Scripture. And it is desirable to add a little olive oil to this oil. Of course, in everyday life you can use any oil for lamps: both mineral (oil-based) and vegetable, but when choosing lamp oil for the ceremony, you need to buy pure and high-quality oil.

Consider the possibility of using other vegetable oils as a lamp oil.

VI. Vegetable lamp oils

Today, as a lamp oil, it is sometimes suggested to use vegetable oils, quite widely represented on the Russian market: sunflower, corn, etc. This is not the worst solution from a canonical point of view. But due to their properties, vegetable oils, when ignited in lamps, quickly go out, clogging the wick and forming soot on the wick. Why is this happening?

Vegetable oils fatty - these are products extracted from oilseed raw materials, which consist mainly (by 95–97%) of organic compounds, full esters of glycerol and fatty acids. When exposed to air, many fatty oils undergo oxidative polymerization (“dry out”), forming films. Some vegetable oils require mandatory purification from impurities that are harmful to human health. So, cotton seeds contain the poisonous pigment gossypol, which is removed by refining. Almost all of these crops belong to the category of cereals. The oils extracted from them are either drying (linseed, hemp, etc.) or semi-drying (sunflower, corn, rapeseed, etc.).

Under the influence of temperature and atmospheric oxygen, they polymerize and form fine resinous substances. Passing through the wick, the resulting resin particles clog it, reducing the oil supply and the size of the flame. Those particles that nevertheless rise to the surface of the wick and enter the combustion zone, due to incomplete combustion, form carbon deposits, which completely coke the wick, and the lamp goes out. Thus, these oils, being an excellent food product, are practically unsuitable as lamp oil. The same vegetable oils that do not dry out (castor, almond and some others) are not inferior in cost to olive oil.

At one time, lamp oil organizations tried to market plant-based oil lamps to the church environment. But these undertakings failed, since most manufacturers, for economic reasons, began to sell cheap mixtures based on industrial technical oils. These oils will be discussed below.

VII. Lampad vaseline oil

Some ruling bishops of the Local Orthodox Churches bless the use of mineral medical vaseline oil as a lamp oil (instead of olive oil), and today it occupies a leading position in Russia.

Medical vaseline oil (GOST 3164-78) in appearance is a transparent, odorless liquid, quite viscous and thick in consistency. It is approved by the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation for external and internal use. Thanks to modern purification technologies, it is a highly purified white oil that does not contain harmful organic compounds: aromatic hydrocarbons, sulfur, nitrogen- and oxygen-containing compounds. It does not contain: paraffin, water, acids, alkalis, low-boiling fractions (up to 360C). The combustion of vaseline oil occurs with a large release of heat, hence the high temperature of the flame. Therefore, vaseline oil vapors completely burn out (this is evidenced by a non-smoking flame), only carbon dioxide and water vapors are formed - natural components of air. Due to this, when vaseline oil burns, soot and odor are not emitted, it burns without soot.

The flame during combustion turns out to be even and does not go out, and a sufficiently high viscosity contributes to uniform impregnation of the wick. In practical use, vaseline oil is convenient and economical. It does not irritate the mucous membranes of the eyes and skin, does not show sensitization and allergenic properties.

Studies conducted by special medical units (Research Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Medicinal Substances, Cancer Center) have shown that medical vaseline oil does not adversely affect vital organs, does not have embryotoxic, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects. It does not accumulate in the human body and is completely eliminated from it.

The shelf life of medical vaseline oil exceeds ten years. You can store it even in unsealed packaging. Although this oil is made from inorganic compounds (petroleum), it meets the requirement for purity.

Here is how the now living Archbishop of Ivanovo and Kineshma Ambrose speaks of the quality of vaseline lamp oil: “The oil is beautiful, truly lamp oil, fully corresponds to its purpose. To which we testify.”+ archbishop. Ambrose.

To date, medical vaseline oil in the CIS is produced only by three plants: Yaroslavl Oil Refinery named after. DI. Mendeleev, the Samara plant "Medkhim" and the Belarusian plant "AKSO". Imported vaseline oil is much more expensive. You can accurately check its authenticity only in a lamp or in laboratory conditions. Before the invention of electricity, lamps with oil, along with candles, were lit not only in front of icons, but also to illuminate churches, setting them in large numbers on chandeliers. This tradition has been preserved in some churches to this day, especially in those where electricity is not used at all for lighting. In this case, the convenience of vaseline oil can hardly be overestimated. Oil (olive oil) is a sign of God's mercy to people: it softens wounds, has a healing effect, and flavors food. So vaseline oil is used in medical practice for the treatment and help with various diseases. We deliberately dwelled on vaseline oil in such detail, because today it is the most popular lamp oil in Russia.

VIII. Surrogates and fakes of lamp oil in modern Russia

Purity- one of the main requirements of the Holy Scriptures for lamp oil. But a high-quality and pure product, as a rule, is not cheap. Therefore, some manufacturers, in order to reduce costs, make cheap fakes of both olive and vaseline oils, and also “invent” new mixtures - if only it burns and makes a profit. In the USA, Greece, Italy and Turkey, the export of mixtures of olive oil with other vegetable oils is allowed, provided that the word MIXT is indicated on the label. All mixtures (mixes), of course, are cheaper than 100% olive oil. Most often, the composition of the mixture includes cheap soybeans or rapeseed. Some manufacturers honestly admit this: they write the true composition on the label, however, in small print. Others are completely silent about it. Mixed oil is easily recognizable by its brownish tint, slight sediment at the bottom of the bottle or other container in which the oil is contained, and the absence of a "specific" smell. Falsified “wooden” lamp oil sometimes appears on sale. It is made at best on the basis of low grade technical olive oil with the addition of cheaper oil - vegetable or mineral based.

Medical vaseline oil is also being falsified today. Medical oils are often passed off as white technical oils, and are sometimes diluted with industrial oils and emollient oils for the rubber industry.

Today in church shops you can see quite cheap oil lamps, which are a yellow, sometimes transparent liquid of low viscosity, which (if no flavorings are added) has an unpleasant odor. Basically it's cheap industrial oils or mixtures of similar cheap oils. If vaseline medical oil is an expensive product that requires a lot of time and expense to produce, then flavored industrial oils are not much different from ordinary kerosene and should cost 2-3 times cheaper. A reasonable person would not use such cheap mixtures based on industrial technical oils if he knows what they are. Often the names of such oils sound quite tempting - "Plant-based lamp oil", "Fragrant", "Wooden", there are even names of holy places. Sometimes the label indicates that the oil is made "on a vaseline basis."

The All-Russian Scientific Research Institute for Oil Refining analyzed two samples of such “traditional” lamp oils based on vegetable and vaseline. The official conclusion states that none of these samples corresponds to GOST in terms of the main physical and chemical indicators. There was no vaseline or vegetable base in these oils. The presence in the samples of a significant amount of organic impurities and a large amount of sulfur (which should not be normal), a changed fractional composition and low kinematic viscosity indicate that the basis of these oils is cheap petroleum oil of the industrial I-20A type. And to suppress unpleasant odors, persistent aromatic compounds of synthetic origin are added to them.

It turns out that these oils burn faster than vaseline or olive oil, but at the same time soot, greasy stains on the ceiling, an unpleasant odor and allergic reactions are formed.

In addition, the producers of such oil have not received the blessing of any bishop of the Russian Orthodox Church to use it in lamps. Church tradition does not know aromatization lamp oil, although aromas and incense are present in other parts of the service as an indispensable element (for example, incense).

Unclean, cheap oils, when anointed, cause allergies in many, and eating it is out of the question. When burning, the smell of kerosene “breaks through” all perfume additives, this often causes people who are close to a burning lamp for a long time to feel unwell, have a headache and even poisoning, and the room is gradually filled with a suffocating stench. Bad oil causes significant damage to temples, smoking icons and frescoes, and it burns faster than good oil, so the savings here are imaginary. As a rule, such oil is low-viscosity and flammable, which can lead to a fire: the lamps filled with it often spontaneously flare up. Recently, some oil refineries have begun to produce new types of lamp oil.

The Novokuibyshev Experimental Plant for Organic Synthesis "Volgasintez" produces the so-called "refined low-viscosity lamp oil". Some sellers for some reason call it "paraffin". This substance is an ethylene heptomer, consisting of C 14 H 28 hydrocarbons with a different arrangement of the double bond along the length of the chain (tetradecenes). In fact, this chemical compound does not belong to the class of oils, but is a highly purified kerosene. This is confirmed by the unacceptably low flash point in a closed crucible - 90 0 C.

Therefore, such “oil” cannot be lit in an ordinary open lamp, this can lead to ignition of its vapors and a fire. So, in the church of St. vmts. Catherine in St. Petersburg, the vapors of this "oil" flared up in the menorah in the altar during the service.

We emphasize that “refined low-viscosity lamp oil” produced by Volgasintez OJSC can be used due to fire hazard only in closed "Greek" lamps of the type of a kerosene lamp with a wick and an adjustable wheel. Oil company "Lukoil" in the near future is going to start the production of lamp oil, obtained in the process of hydroisomerization of paraffinic hydrocarbons. According to preliminary data, this oil will approach vaseline oil in its characteristics.

Despite the penetration of artificial, synthetic substances into church use, the undoubted priority remains with traditional and natural substances. The essential, profound differences between the traditional, natural substances used by the Church and their technical substitutes were well described by the Russian philosopher A.F. Losev: “You can’t, for example, be so insensitive as to not see the difference between stearin and wax, between kerosene and wood oil, between eau de cologne and incense. , something impudent and self-important. Wax is something touching and warm; in it is meekness and love, kindness and purity; in it is the beginning of intelligent prayer, invariably striving for silence and warmth of the heart. Kerosene is also impudent and ungracious; it measures love by pounds and heat per calorie; it is spiritually unclean and stinks of stench; it is a machine and a lubricant. As tobacco is incense for Satan, so kerosene is a sauce for a demon. Cologne, on the other hand, exists only for hairdressers and clerks, and, perhaps, only for fashionable protodeacons. So, to pray with a stearin candle in your hands, pouring kerosene into the lamp and perfumed with cologne, you can only deviate from the right faith. This is heresy in the true sense ... "

The choice of lamp oil

Since olive oil is an expensive product and requires the use of special floats (see about them below), some devout Christians have found a solution to this problem: they use a mixture of olive oil and vaseline oil in their lamps, or simply add a little olive oil to vaseline oil (they mix perfectly between themselves). It is better not to buy such a mixture, but to make it yourself - so you will know exactly what is burning in your lamp.

Note: If, when using such a mixture, the content of olive oil (vegetable) is more than 20%, then it is better to use a floating (Greek) float, if olive oil is less than 20%, then a regular metal one will do. If you buy an unfamiliar oil, pay attention to the appearance of the packaging. If it is untidy and made somehow, then there is a high probability that the quality of the oil itself will be the same. Lampada vaseline oil should be colorless and odorless (see Chapter VI). The types of olive oil are described in detail in chapter III.

You should especially study the label. It must necessarily indicate: the exact name of the oil, GOST or TU, oil composition, storage conditions, volume (displacement), date of manufacture, number of the hygienic conclusion of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, information about the manufacturer - name and address. Major manufacturers of lamp oil have their own retail outlets. In these places you can buy oil of the expected quality at a low price. You can find out about such points of sale by calling the manufacturer at the number indicated on the label. It is useful to compare the quality and cost of lamp oil from different manufacturers during major Orthodox fairs and exhibitions.

At home distinguish real vaseline oil from surrogates freezing point is possible. Place the butter in the freezer. Real medical oil thickens strongly at a temperature of plus 5C and freezes almost completely at a temperature of minus 16-18C. Oil on an "industrial" basis freezes much later - at minus 25-27 C.

Lamp selection

There are three types of lamps: hanging, standing and mounted on special brackets below the icon. The cups for lamps themselves are both transparent (glass) and opaque (ceramics, metal). Glass lamps (glasses) usually come in red, green, blue, clear and light yellow colors. Blue glasses are used during fasting. Most standing lamps come without metal holders, just glass or ceramic.

Float selection

There are two types of floats: floating (in oil) and lying on the edges of the lamp (metal).

The floating float consists of three parts: a piece of cork (cork tree), a metal plate (above the cork) and a wick impregnated with a special compound . To ignite pure olive oil (or any other vegetable oil, as well as mixtures with a high content of it), only floating floats brought to us from Greece are suitable. In Greece, natural olive oil is widely used. And in order for the wick to pull it well, the distance between the flame and the surface of the oil should be minimal, since the very properties of natural oil do not allow it to rise high up. That is why the Greek wick, sticking out of a hole in a thin tin plate, simply floats on the surface of the oil, holding on to it with pieces of cork. Thus, the light of the lamp and the oil are separated from each other only by the thinnest tin plate. Such a device floating on the surface of the oil is called a float. This name has also passed to us in Russia, although our modern "floats" do not float at all, but hang motionless on the edges of the lamp cup.

The main disadvantage of Greek floats is the fire hazard, because the fire is too close to the surface. To prevent fires, lamps with such floats are first poured with a little ordinary water, then oil is carefully poured into the same place. Water is heavier than oil and occupies the bottom of the lamp. When the oil burns out completely, the wick does not ignite, but is extinguished with water.

Choosing a wick for a recumbent float

Usually the wick is made (or bought) from cotton threads 10–15 cm long. The wick should move (move) freely enough inside the hole in the float. The thicker the oil, the smaller the wick should be.

When to light and extinguish the lamp

Many pious Orthodox people light the lamps during their stay at home, some only during evening and morning prayers, and some do not extinguish the lamps at all, even leaving home: they believe that the Lord will not allow a fire from a lamp dedicated to Him or His saints. How you act, decide for yourself, in accordance with your diligence and faith.

Prayer read while lighting a lamp

Kindle, O Lord, the extinguished lamp of my soul with the light of virtue and enlighten me, Thy creation, Creator and Benefactor, Thou art the immaterial Light of the world, accept this material offering: light and fire, and give me inner light to the mind and fire to the heart. Amen.

Literature

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