SYMBOLISM OF THE NEW LIGHT
105
trance procession. Each time the deacon, after kneeling, raises the light and shows it to all the people present, while he chants "Lumen Christi" (The light of Christ). Until the recent liturgical changes, he lit in succession three branches of a single candle (a three-branched candle), which was interpreted as a symbol of the Holy Trinity:
The first showing of the light expresses the revelation made to us by Jesus and the divinity of the Father.
(This) second showing of the light signifies the Divinity of the Son, who dwelt among men.
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(This) third showing of the light signifies the Divinity of the Holy Ghost. . .32
The introduction of this triple lighting of candle was probably a Christian adaptation and was already implicitly present in the Roman custom of lighting three candles on Maundy Thursday.33
The Taoist ritual likewise has a triple lighting of candles; each of them is dedicated to one Heavenly Worthy in the order of their hierarchical rank, and as the fen-teng ritual text points out, in the order of their successive origination:
Heavenly Worthy of the Primordial beginning in the Great Canopy of Heaven:
Humbly prostrated before the Mysterious Tao of Non-Being: at first (It) gave birth to the One. The One is the beginning of Ch'i (cosmic Breath). Therefore we first light a lamp in front of (the Heavenly Worthy of) the Primordial Beginning, to clarify (signify) the Original Purity at the beginning of the ancestral Breath.
Great Holy Ling-pao Heavenly Worthy!
Humbly prostrated: The Tao produced the One Breath. The One gave birth to Two: Two is the second Ch'i. Therefore we next light a lamp in front of the Primordial August One (Ling-Pao Heavenly Worthy) to clarify (signify) the proceeding of the Second Ch'i from the Original August One.
Great Holy Tao-Te Heavenly Worthy!
Humbly prostrated: The One produced the Two; the Two produced the Three: Three is the third proceeding of Ch'i.
SYMBOLISM OF THE NEW LIGHT
105
trance procession. Each time the deacon, after kneeling, raises the light and shows it to all the people present, while he chants "Lumen Christi" (The light of Christ). Until the recent liturgical changes, he lit in succession three branches of a single candle (a three-bran- ched candle), which was interpreted as a symbol of the Holy Trinity:
The first showing of the light expresses the revelation made to us by Jesus and the divinity of the Father,.
(This) second showing of the light signifies the Divinity of the Son, who dwelt among men, .
+
(This) third showing of the light signifies the Divinity of the Holy Ghost,. . .32
The introduction of this triple lighting of candle was probably a Christian adaptation and was already implicitly present in the Roman custom of lighting three candles on Maundy Thursday.33
The Taoist ritual likewise has a triple lighting of candles; each of them is dedicated to one Heavenly Worthy in the order of their hierarchical rank, and as the fen-teng ritual text points out, in the order of their successive origination:
Heavenly Worthy of the Primordial beginning in the Great Ca- nopy of Heaven:
Humbly prostrated before the Mysterious Tao of Non-Being: at first (It) gave birth to the One. The One is the beginning of Ch'i (cosmic Breath). Therefore we first light a lamp in front of (the Heavenly Worthy of) the Primordial Beginning, to clarify (signify) the Original Purity at the beginning of the ancestral Breath.
Great Holy Ling-pao Heavenly Worthy!
Humbly prostrated: The Tao produced the One Breath. The One gave birth to Two: Two is the second Ch'i. Therefore we next light a lamp in front of the Primordial August One (Ling- Pao Heavenly Worthy) to clarify (signify) the proceeding of the Second Ch'i from the Original August One.
Great Holy Tao-Te Heavenly Worthy!
Humbly prostrated: The One produced the Two; the Two pro- duced the Three: Three is the third proceeding of Ch'i.
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