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Light in the Darkness: The Beauty of Candlelight Mass
Hannah Ramundo, Ambassador
On the first Sunday of every month, at 7:55 PM the lights in the church start to dim as eight altar candles are lit alongside 24 7-day candles that are placed on the steps of the sanctuary. With the lights out a hush spreads over the congregation as everyone quiets their hearts and minds for the sacrifice of the mass, the pinnacle of our faith.
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At 8 PM, the bell rings in the back of the church signaling the start of the mass, the beginning of the procession. Then the piano starts to play and the entrance song begins and all that's seen leading the way for the priest is the altar servers candles with a billow of incense reflected in the light. The candlelight mass; beauty, peace, serenity, and history.
As an attendee of the mass as well as the person who helps with setting up, I look forward to the 8 PM mass every month. The 8 PM mass is brand new this year, it made its debut on September 7th this fall. The idea came through our Director of Campus Ministries, Sam Nunally, who heard about the candlelight mass at Colorado State and brought it to my attention. This past candlelight mass had at least 500 people sitting in the pews, even standing in the back.
Student, Ben Wheeler ‘27, loves the candlelight mass because “it kinda feels like a journey back in time, like in the dark setting. And it really feels like you can feel the historicity of the Catholic Church.”
With the dark setting and the only thing lighting up the sanctuary being candles, we are connected with the early church when candlelight was used to illuminate the catacombs where mass was held. At the same time, the contrast between the candle lit altar and the dark nave, allows for an increased focus during mass and cuts out all distractions that could occur.
“I go to the candlelight mass because it feels more reverent and allows me to enter into prayer more deeply and just receive Jesus just with greater love” Andrew Herzog ‘27.
There’s a calmness, a peace, a silence, an acceptance. Join us at the next candlelight mass on November 2, 2025, All Souls Day. Help us remember those we have loved and have gone into the next life.