Candlelit services...H&S?

[ardcarp]

Mrs A and I took part in a genuinely candle-lit Carol Service last evening. (We singers were the only ones allowed discreet clip-on LEDs for our folders.) This was in a vast Pearson Oxford Reform movement church still replete with wooden pews. There were literally 1000s of candles, some in branched candelabra at the ends of the pews, but incredibly, rows of candles on wooden struts straddling the middles of the pews. There was, incidentally, also a fog of incense. The clergy made no announcement about evacuating the church because they felt it would be out of keeping with the solemnity of the occasion. I would add that the church was packed.

Personally, I was delighted by the whole occasion, and I find the H & S obsession in most walks of life rather annoying. But still....it was bit scary to think what might have been had someone's winter clothing caught fire.

[MrGongGong]

It used to be the case that religious buildings were exempt from many of the (sensible) restrictions placed on other buildings.
So candles etc are all fine. I was told that I could technically have someone fire blowing during a performance in a large minster, but they might be a bit nervous given what happened in 1984

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

It makes me nervous in school carol services, when children carry candles with naked flames, each walking close behind a classmate. Not a good idea.

[Old Grumpy]

Mrs A and I took part in a genuinely candle-lit Carol Service last evening. (We singers were the only ones allowed discreet clip-on LEDs for our folders.) This was in a vast Pearson Oxford Reform movement church still replete with wooden pews. There were literally 1000s of candles, some in branched candelabra at the ends of the pews, but incredibly, rows of candles on wooden struts straddling the middles of the pews. There was, incidentally, also a fog of incense. The clergy made no announcement about evacuating the church because they felt it would be out of keeping with the solemnity of the occasion. I would add that the church was packed.

Personally, I was delighted by the whole occasion, and I find the H & S obsession in most walks of life rather annoying. But still....it was bit scary to think what might have been had someone's winter clothing caught fire.

Candles, pah!

Try these for size...

it is outside, admittedly, but mad none the less.

OG

[Stanfordian]

It makes me nervous in school carol services, when children carry candles with naked flames, each walking close behind a classmate. Not a good idea.

Let's ban sports at school. They're far too dangerous.

[Pulcinella]

There were 1800 in the congregation for York Minster's Advent Sunday service, each bearing a candle; I think that Salisbury had something like 1200 (picture in The Times). We had a short 'emergency evacuation' procedure notice, but basically were asked just to be careful and not set the person in front's hair alight.
As ardcarp says: potentially a bit scary.
Mind you, I've been to the Easter Eve service in Florence cathedral, where there is a great sort of trough along the length of the building that is full of wood and set alight, with sparks flying in every direction. Now that WAS scary!

[Beef Oven!]

Who wears nylon winter clothing?

You may not have noticed, but we don't really have that sort of fire hazard (post 60s/70s).

[Beef Oven!]

Let's ban sports at school. They're far too dangerous.

It's not just the danger, it's the whole evil concept of competitiveness that is the problem. Children have enough to worry about with social media, trainers and puberty, never mind competitive things.

[Richard Tarleton]

sparks flying in every direction.

Talking about sparks, I've seen this - sparks flying, plus it misses the heads of the congregation by inches....

[gradus]

Long/bushy hair of the person in the seat/pew in front at a candlelit service produces near misses but so far no conflagration. Worth the risk for the magical atmosphere especially in ancient churches.

[ardcarp]

Candles, pah!

Try these for size...

it is outside, admittedly, but mad none the less.

OG

Never mind far flung places! They do this at Ottery St Mary:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBjwgEd5MJk

Until recently, young kids were allowed to do it too. (Not Christmas though. I think it corresponds with 'Bonfire Night')

Richard T. I'd love to see the great swinging censer of Santiago de Compostela.

[sturkel]

Every year I sing with a small choir at a carol service in a tiny Norman church attached to a local stately home. It only has a few services a year and although there is now electricity to power some heating, and the portable keyboard we bring with us, there is no electric lighting, and everything is candlelit, the choir singing from a gallery at the back of the building. The candles on the back row barely provide enough light and I have been known to use a head torch to read the dots.

The choir began life as a section of trebles from the choir of the local prep school where I taught, plus staff, their musical children & a couple of friends singing the lower parts. These days the top line are all at uni and some of the staff like me are retired, but we still come together once a year.

Lessons are read by the owners of the big house, their family, and the estate staff. Afterwards we get mulled wine and mince pies at the big house. It’s a lovely occasion.

A couple of years ago a lady from the local ‘benefice choir’ came and joined us, uninvited & unrehearsed. Fortunately, she didn’t know some of the carols we sang and kept quiet, but those she thought she knew, she joined in with us, lustily.
Like Eric Morecambe, she sang all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order. If she had ever had the top notes for the descants, she had since lost them.

Finally, during the intro for ‘Hark the Herald Angels’, she managed to set her music on fire! The choir quietly corpsed and the organist played several wrong notes until he gathered himself whilst the altos extinguished the flames. The congregation, facing away from us, had no idea what had happened.

[Constantbee]

The Candlemass service at Ripon Cathedral is quite a spectacle The wax drips everywhere and I felt sorry for the poor souls who's job it was to clean it up from the stone flagstones after the event . Not a nice job. Probably on a par with removing chewing gum

[ardcarp]

Finally, during the intro for ‘Hark the Herald Angels’, she managed to set her music on fire! The choir quietly corpsed and the organist played several wrong notes until he gathered himself whilst the altos extinguished the flames. The congregation, facing away from us, had no idea what had happened.

So there is a God!

[mopsus]

For the last couple of years at least the 9 Lessons and Carols service at St David's Cathedral has been candlelit (not entirely, but the congregation all have candles) and I realise why this service usually isn't in most places. If you are in any sort of draught you have no chance of keeping your candle alight for the best part of 2 hours! This year I made it to the Seventh Lesson.