The Candle of Joy?

Otherwise known as the Shepherd Candle, this candle reflects the joy that comes through Jesus’
arrival, and through the salvation he has gifted us.
Christians may wonder why the church decided to make this particular candle a different color
than the others. Although Christians have presented several reasons for the pinkish nature of the
candle, from a tradition where priests would wear pink vestments to parents eagerly awaiting the
joy of a child’s arrival by painting the room pink, the rosy candle has its roots in something
known as Gaudete Sunday.
During this third week of advent, this Sunday celebrates the passage Philippians 4:4-5, its verses
extolling readers to “rejoice” for “indeed the Lord is near”. In other words, this week celebrates
the joy of Christ’s coming to earth.
No matter what color of candle a church displays on that third Sunday, churches want to
highlight the importance of joy in advent season. During a time where depression is at an all-
time high and people seem to be in the most despair, this candle offers a bright light during a
dark time.
It is also known as the Shepherd Candle to highlight the joy the shepherds experienced when
they received the good news about Christ’s birth (Luke 2:8-20). During the middle of the night,
the darkest time, the shepherds encountered angels.