Woman Lighting Votive Candle at St. Patrick's Cathedral, New York - Catholic Stock Photo

In the Roman Catholic Church, candles are at times placed before a statue of Jesus, of the Blessed Virgin Mary, or of some other saint. Often, in older or traditional churches, this will be before a bye-altar.

A votive candle signifies literally that the lighting is done in fulfillment of a vow (Latin, votum), although in most cases the intention is to give honor and to seek help from the saint before whose images the candle is lit and to pray for the dead.

Candles used may vary from long, taper-type candles to tea-light candles. Tea-light candles are either placed in holders or just on a platform in front of the statue. Long candles may be placed in a special holder.

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Saint Patrick's Cathedral is a decorated Neo-Gothic-style Roman Catholic cathedral church in the United States. It is the seat of the archbishop of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, and a parish church, located on the east side of Fifth Avenue between 50th and 51st Streets in midtown Manhattan, New York City, New York, directly across the street from Rockefeller Center.

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