Candles & Lighting
Candle Followers
Candle followers, brass caps that rest on top of a candle to keep the flame steady and the wax from dripping.
About this collection
About Candle Followers
A follower sits on top of a candle, keeping the flame steady and stopping wax from running down onto the candlestick and altar linens. This collection offers brass candle followers in a wide range of diameters, from 7/8 inch for small candles to 4 inches for large paschal and altar candles, in smooth and bell-shaped designs.
Finding the right size
Measure the diameter of the candles you actually use, not the candlestick socket, and order a follower to match. Altar candles often come in several sizes, so a sacristy may need more than one size of follower. Listed prices currently run from about $19 to $225. Call or request a quote if you are not sure which size you need. Freight is billed separately. See also altar candlesticks and paschal candlesticks.
Candle Followers
In the Sacred Liturgy
A candle follower is a brass collar or cap that rests on the top of a candle, around the wick. As the candle burns down, the follower moves down with it, which is how it takes its name. It keeps the flame steady and centered, helps the wax burn evenly, and stops drips from running down the candle onto the candlestick, the altar cloths or the floor.
Followers are especially useful on the large candles of the sanctuary, such as altar candles, Paschal candles and candles carried in procession, where a dripping or guttering flame would be distracting and hard to clean. They also give the top of every candle the same neat, finished look, so that a row of altar candles appears orderly and dignified.
Followers are sized to fit the diameter of the candle exactly and are usually made of solid brass, smooth or decorated. In the liturgy, where everything is offered to God, even small details like these help keep the sanctuary beautiful and well cared for.
Made for your church
Need it custom?
Looking for a different size, finish or design? Tell us what your church needs and we will prepare a quote.