Torchlight march is a type of illuminated procession which is held after dark so that torches carried by the participants form a spectacle (other types of an illuminated procession involve candles, lanterns etc). The torches are carried by torchbearers, who enter at the Sanctus and leave after Communion.Īnglicans of the High Church and some Lutherans use torches in some of their liturgical celebrations as well. However, today, even in the Vatican, freestanding, tall candles in ornate candle-stick holders have replaced the former type.
The Church eventually adopted their use for Solemn High Masses.Īccording to Adrian Fortescue, the more correct form of liturgical torches are non-freestanding (i.e. In former times, liturgical torches were carried in Eucharistic processions simply to give light. To a skilled juggler, there is only a slight chance of being burned, but they are still dangerous. Juggling torches are often used as a prop in toss juggling: they can be flipped into the air in an end-over-end motion while being juggled, in the same manner as juggling clubs or juggling knives, but because of their sound and 'trail of flame', they can appear much more impressive to audiences. These torches and the relay tradition were introduced in the 1936 Summer Olympics by Carl Diem, the chairman of the event because during the duration of the Ancient Olympic Games in Olympia, a sacred flame burnt inside of the temple of Hera, kept in custody by her priestess. Li Ning lighting the torch at the 2008 Summer Olympics.Ī torch carried in relay by runners is used to light the Olympic flame which burns without interruption until the end of the Games. This wick is soaked in a flammable liquid, usually paraffin ( kerosene). Modern torches suitable for juggling are made of a wooden-and-metal or metal-only stave with one end wrapped in a Kevlar wick. They are an easy, safe and relatively cheap way to hold a flame aloft in a parade or to provide illumination in any after-dark celebration. A wooden handle is usually used, and a cardboard collar is attached to deflect any wax droplets. Modern procession torches are made from coarse hessian rolled into a tube and soaked in wax. This meant that the fire would not diminish after being plunged into water. In ancient Rome some torches were made of sulfur mixed with lime.
In the United States, black bear bones may have been used. Torches were usually constructed of a wooden stave with one end wrapped in a material which was soaked in a flammable substance. Torch construction has varied through history depending on the torch's purpose. An unlit torch as used for fire breathing.