The Greeks and Romans burned sacred lamps in the temples and utilized light and fire in many ceremonies.  The torch-race, in which young men ran with lighted torches, the winner being the one who reached the goal first with his torch still alight, originated in a Grecian ceremony of lighting the sacred fire.  There are many references in ancient Roman and Grecian literature to sacred lamps burning day and night in sanctuaries and before statues of gods and heroes.  On birthdays and festivals the houses of the Romans were specially ornamented with burning lamps.  The Vestal Virgins in Rome maintained the sacred fire which had been brought by fugitives from Troy.  In ancient Rome when the fire in the Temple of Vesta became extinguished, it was rekindled by the rubbing of a piece of wood upon another until fire was obtained.  This was carried into the temple by the Vestal Virgin and the sacred fire was rekindled.  The fire produced in this manner, for some reason, was considered holy.

The early peoples displayed many lamps on feast-days and an example of extravagance in this respect is an occasion when King Constantine commanded that the entire city of Constantinople be illuminated by wax-candles on Christmas Eve.  Candelabra, of the form of the branching tree, were commonly in use in the Roman temples.

The ceremonial use of light in the Christian church evolved both from adaptations of pagan customs and of the natural symbolisms of fire and light.  However, these acquired a deeper meaning in Christianity than in early times because they were primarily visible representations or manifestations of the divine presence.  The Bible contains many references to the importance and symbolisms of light and fire.  According to the First Book of Moses, the achievement of the Creator immediately following the creation of “the heavens and the earth” was the creation of light.  The word “light” is the forty-sixth word in Genesis.  Christ is “the true light” and Christians are “children of light” in war against the evil “powers of darkness.”  When St. Paul was converted “there shined about him a great light from heaven.”  The impressiveness and symbolism of fire and light are testified to in many biblical expressions.  Christ stands “in the midst of seven candle-sticks” with “his eyes as a flame of fire.”  When the Holy Ghost appeared before the apostles “there appeared unto them cloven tongues of fire.”  When St. Paul was preaching the gospel of Christ at Alexandria “there were many lights” suggesting a festive illumination.

According to the Bible, the perpetual fire which came originally from heaven was to be kept burning on the altar.  It was holy and those whose duty it was to keep it burning were guilty of a grave offense if they allowed it to be extinguished.  If human hands were permitted to kindle it, punishment was meted out.  The two sons of Aaron who “offered strange fire before the Lord” were devoured by “fire from the Lord.”  The seven-branched candlestick was lighted eternally and these burning light-sources were necessary accompaniments of worship.