Dollar Store Devotional Candles

While wandering through the dollar store the other day I stumbled upon some interesting candles. They have pictures of saints, angels, and Jesus on them. I found this very curious that there were devotional candles in the dollar store. These types of candles are often found in grocery stores or Christian book stores and they are usually more expensive than just a dollar. The fact that these candles are mass produced and sold at cheaper price reflects the demographic of buyers in Reading. Clearly, there must be a high Christian population in the surrounding area who also want to or need to purchase the candles at lower cost. By having the candles in the dollar store more people can afford them and can then purchase them. Another interesting aspect about the candles is that the text on them is in both Spanish and English. This also reflects the demographic in Reading. There is a large Spanish speaking community in Reading and surrounding areas. This community traditionally practices Catholicism, which would use these candles in devotional practices.

The one candle has a picture of Jesus on it with the Lord’s Prayer written underneath it. The prayer is printed on the back of the candle. Another candle has St. Jude on it. The third has a guardian angel. The final candle has a picture of Jesus with the scared heart written underneath it. The image on the candle is a modification of a famous painting. Because the candles are mass produced and inexpensive the question becomes if these objects are scared or kitsch. Does something being lower cost make it become kitsch or is it still sacred? Through good Christian retailing more devotional items are accessible to a wider audience through mass production. I am sure there are some people who would purchase the candles just use during a power outage because they are large and inexpensive. However, I think that most people who buy them use them for a very sacred purpose. They specifically buy them to use for personal devotion, which is extremely important to some Christians. I believe that just because they are inexpensive this does not make them less sacred, it simply allows for more people to have access to them and to use them in their homes.