When lighted candles are placed on the altar, they become visible adjuncts to the worship services. They serve in a simple way to express "The Light of Christ" or "The Light of the World".
Pure white, these candles are blended with stearic and molded to give them an extra hard wax formulation. Stearic is a colorless wax-like fatty acid derived from animal fat. It gives the candle rigidity, slows burning, and improves burning characteristics overall. They are also more cost effective than beeswax candles. They are preferred by Protestant denominations, although some Catholic churches use them, also. Available in plain and self-fitting ends.
Altar candles are "straight" sided so it is recommended that followers be used with any altar candle for satisfactory and economical performance.