- Feb 5, 2002
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Candles made from the wax of bees -- cleaner burning and more pleasant smelling than tallow -- were yet another innovation put forward by ingenious monks.
For many Catholics, the flickering light of candles is an iconic aspect of attending Mass or services. What many of us may not know, however, is that we adopted beeswax candles thanks to Catholic monks.
For much of antiquity, candles were made from animal fat, which led to unpleasant smells when burned. But during the Middle Ages, ingenious monks restored the use of beeswax from their apiaries to make beeswax candles,which are still in use today.
Beeswax was produced by harvesting honeycomb (made from wax secreted by worker bees) from apiaries and then boiling it and cooling it down until soft. Then, the wick was dipped into or rolled onto the wax to create a candle.
Continued below.
For many Catholics, the flickering light of candles is an iconic aspect of attending Mass or services. What many of us may not know, however, is that we adopted beeswax candles thanks to Catholic monks.
For much of antiquity, candles were made from animal fat, which led to unpleasant smells when burned. But during the Middle Ages, ingenious monks restored the use of beeswax from their apiaries to make beeswax candles,which are still in use today.
Beeswax was produced by harvesting honeycomb (made from wax secreted by worker bees) from apiaries and then boiling it and cooling it down until soft. Then, the wick was dipped into or rolled onto the wax to create a candle.
Continued below.
How monasteries introduced beeswax candles in Middle Ages
Candles made from the wax of bees, cleaner burning and more pleasant smelling than tallow, were yet another innovation put forward by ingenious monks.
aleteia.org
