Can anyone go into church to light a candle?

[hannahtaylorx]

Hi,
I lost my aunt who I was very close to just over two years ago. I know it’s silly because it was so long ago but I still feel like I’m grieving and am looking for closure. I’ve never been particularly religious, but I don’t not believe either. I was just wondering if it would be okay for me to go into a church, light a candle for her and just have a quiet moment regardless? Also, would I be required to wear any particular attire or can I just wear jeans and a top? Any advice would be much appreciated, thankyou :)

I go to a C of E church, we have a candle stand, we are open from 9 - 5 every day.
Come those who have much faith and those who have little.
Those who have been here often and those who have never been before.

@speakout I go to a Church of Scotland church and we have a candle section. We light candles in remembrance. We also light a candle during every service to symbolise Jesus as the light of the world.

OP you would be welcome in church, to light a candle or to sit or even to look around. I hope this is helpful for you.

You must be in a wee free area, speakout. I'm a Scottish Presbyterian, and an elder at that, and I don't object to candles as a focus for prayer. We don't do them in the CoS as a matter of course, but occasionally the minister will light one for a specific purpose and there is always an advent crown, although that is different and the idea of te purple candles with a pink one for Gaudete Sunday sends the old dears into hissy fits of horror.

When I run a prayer vigil, I always have candles available for anyone who wants to use one, whatever the reason, and when I do prayer parties for the kids at BB, Messy Church and the like, I have a candle lighting table to ask God to light our way and to help us to let our light shine. A bit different from the OP, and yes that would be regarded by most as too papish, but it shows that even in a Calvinist, idol free, presbyterian mentality there is room for beauty and light.
OP, sorry for the hijack. In answer to your question, you couldn't do it where I live because we don't go in for that sort of thing, but you would be welcome to come and sit quietly in the sanctuary any time the church is open.

But then we have protestant churches, so all the idea of idolatry, lighting candles etc are a huge no

I know of loads of protestant Churches that allow, and encourage candles. Please don't lump so many different denominations together Speakout. As it happens, in my own Church we don't have candles as a matter of course, but if someone brought one in and wanted to light it, it wouldn't be a problem. Loads of other protestant Churches have areas you can just go an alight a candle, which are provided for you though.

For Catholic Churches in some European countries (Spain for example) you should bring a scarf to cover your shoulders if they are bare.