Paschal Candle

Family Paschal Candle.

                                                                 Happy Easter!!!

Here is our Easter Craft.  Every year, at the start of Easter we begin with a new paschal candle.  Here is a quick run down of the candle.

The paschal candle has been a long standing tradition, believed to begin at the very start of Christianity steaming from the Jewish tradition, when the Jewish people would light a lamp to signify the end of the Sabbath.     The word Pasach is Hebrew for passover.  Passover is the Jewish celebration when God passed over the homes of the Jews as he slew the first born Egyptians.  

The Candle has the greek alphabet signs the "Alpha" meaning beginning and Omega meaning "end" as God is the beginning and the end.   The current year is also inscribed on the four sides of the cross representing Christ is with us now among the people gathered around the candle.  

I wanted to create a family paschal candle this year, but the kits were too expensive, so I decided to come up with my own and here it is!                                

                       

Here is what you need to make your family paschal candle.  

* One 8 inch glass pillar candle.  (I found mine at the Dollar Store)           

* Template  (you can make your own, but if you want, or try this link to access template http://www.sendspace.com/file/5jmvpp).  

*  Glue. You want both glue stick and hot glue gun.

* one to two packages of jewels (I also purchased these at the Dollar Store)

Total cost to make your candle around $3.00

1) Cut out template and color the cross as desired. 

2) Glue template onto candle with glue stick.
3) Take glue gun and glue stones on as desired.  

4)  Make sure you write the current year as displayed above.

That is it!  Very simple, fun and easy craft to do.  Please note, if the link to the download for the template does not work, please feel free to email me through the blog and I can scan the template and send it directly to your email.