Chapter 24. On the lighting of candles, and how candles should be lit on Sundays, on feasts of Christ, the Theotokos, the Saints, and on other days.
At Small Vespers, after receiving the priest's blessing, one should light the candles before the icon of Christ the Savior, and the icon of the Patron Saint of the church on the right side; and [the candles] before the icon of the Theotokos on the left side, and in front of the analogion. These candles are put out at the dismissal. At Great Vespers, before the priest begins censing, one should light the candles in the same manner as described for Small Vespers, as well as [the candle] before the icon of the Lord that is over the Royal Doors*, if there is a Vigil service for a Saint. After the first antiphon of the kathisma, at the beginning of "Lord, I have cried...," the other candles are lit. These are put out at the last Trisagion. At Matins, On "God is the Lord..." the candles should be lit in the manner mentioned above. At the beginning of the Polyeleos all the candles should be lit and remain burning until the end of the third Ode, and then they are put out. At the eighth Ode, we light all the candles again, and let them burn until the end of the Great Doxology. At the Liturgy, before the beginning of the Liturgy, the candle on the Table of Oblation should be lit. After the priest puts on his vestments and it is the time for the ringing of the bells, the candle on the Altar should be lit first, followed by the candles in the church, in the manner explained [above]. At the beginning of the reading of the Holy Gospel, all the candles should be lit. These remain burning until the end of the Ambo prayer.
