Light a Candle

On this page, you can ask for candles to be lit at the location of your choice in Westminster Cathedral. Candle requests received before 4pm will be actioned the following morning when the Cathedral opens for the day

Lighting a candle is an act of faith. As Catholics, we say to someone who needs our prayers that we have lit a candle for them. The act of lighting a votive candle before an icon, a statue or a relic is an act of communion with Our Lord. We walk away, going about our daily business, but the candle continues to shine: a symbol of love and devotion and a physical, tangible reminder of our faith in the mercy, compassion, and love of God.

Fire and light have been a feature of worship in the Christian and Jewish traditions for thousands of years. The early Christians placed candles on the tombs of the martyrs in the catacombs as an act of intercession with the faithful in heaven. We light a candle in devotion to Christ who is the Light of the World.

"*" indicates required fields

Suggested Donation: £2 per candle
Choose preferred location of candle(s)
We rely entirely upon the generosity of our visitors and supporters to keep our doors open – which comes at a cost of £6,000 a day. Would you consider making a donation?*
Address*

Gift Aid

Gift Aid Boost your donation by 25p of Gift Aid for every £1 you donate. Gift Aid is reclaimed by Westminster Cathedral from the tax you pay for the current tax year. Your address is needed to identify you as a current UK taxpayer. In order to Gift Aid your donation(s) you must tick the box below:

Privacy

Data Protection We hold securely all information given to us by individuals, including contact details, payments, donations and Gift Aid declarations. We ensure that your information is kept private and is only used to carry out the Cathedral’s activities. Read our full privacy policy here
I consent to being contacted by:
Would you consider contributing an additional 1.2% + £0.20 towards our transaction costs?
Our rates are 1.2% + £0.20 for EU Visa and MasterCard transactions and 2.9% + £0.20 for Non EU and American Express transactions.

‘I am the Light of the world; the one who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have light and life.’

John 8:12

We welcome you to light a candle in Westminster Cathedral, in this very special House of Prayer. There are candle stands in most chapels and also at the shrines to Our Lady of Westminster, St John Southworth and St Anthony of Padua. You may choose where your candle is lit. Please, take a moment, pause quietly, and think about why you are lighting a candle and for whom.

You may also be interested in…

Devotional Prayers

The Society of Friends of Westminster Cathedral

Keep in Touch

Sign up for our newsletter and register as a member of our parish to be the first to hear about our news and events.

Register

Follow Us

Join our Cathedral community on social media.