Rave Bandong of the Studio of Saint Luke recently sent us some interesting photos of a Paschal Candle they recently completed painting. Now Paschal candles are out there everywhere of course, but what stood out to me about this particular commission, which they title Ad Regnum Mariae, is that it is based upon designs found on an antique embroidered chasuble.
The chasuble from which the designs are taken, is this one seen below, which appears to be of Italian manufacture and likely dating to the eighteenth century, or possibly even the late seventeenth century:
The Studio kindly sent a summation of the work:
This hand-painted Paschal candle, titled Ad Regnum Mariae — "To the Reign of Mary" — was completed for Our Lady of Sorrows Priory in Phoenix, Arizona, for the 2025 Jubilee Year of Hope. The design draws from the rich vocabulary of liturgical vesture, specifically an 18th-century baroque chasuble whose floral embroidery served as the foundation for the candle’s ornamental framework. Rather than treating the Paschal candle as a blank utility, the goal was to approach it as a vertical icon: one that would quietly proclaim the mysteries of the Resurrection, the Kingship of Christ, and the triumph of Our Lady.The technique involved layering metallic 18k Angelus paint for gold accents, with fine brushwork and controlled ornamentation to reflect the dignity of the sacred. Five miniatures form the theological spine of the candle:
- The Annunciation — the moment of the Incarnation, Mary's fiat inaugurating salvation.
- The Baptism of Our Lord — the manifestation of the Trinity and the sanctification of creation.
- Palm Sunday — Christ enters Jerusalem as the humble King destined for sacrifice.
- The Resurrection — the definitive triumph over death and the foundation of all Christian hope.
- The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin Mary — the eschatological vision of Our Lady reigning as Queen, completing the arc from fiat to glory.
The miniatures are arranged in cruciform order, joined by a flowering vine that ascends from smaller buds at the base to fuller blooms near the top. This floral movement reflects the Church Militant’s progression in grace, blossoming toward heavenly fulfillment. The Cross is flanked by the Alpha and Omega and the year 2025, as is traditional. Gold ornamental nails connect symbolically to Christ’s wounds — glorified and not hidden.The Paschal candle itself is a deeply eschatological object. Lit from the new fire, carried into the dark, and placed beside the Gospel — it becomes the first light of Easter and a sacramentally charged pillar of hope. It stands throughout Paschaltide not merely as a symbol, but as a sacramental sign: Christ as light, Mary as dawn, the Resurrection as promise.This particular design was not meant to dazzle but to speak — not merely to be beautiful, but to mean. In an age tempted by false peace and aesthetic sentiment, this candle was painted as a quiet act of fidelity: to proclaim that the reign of the Immaculate Heart is not separate from the Sacred Heart — it is one with it. And that the Church’s hope is not in worldly reconciliation, but in the glory of Christ through Mary.May it burn not merely as art, but as liturgy. Not merely as beauty, but as splendor — of truth. A candle not of sentiment, but of glory yet to come. Ad Regnum Mariae.
Let's take a closer look at the candle and some of its designs. To assist our readers, we have also paired details from the candle with the co-related designs found on the chasuble.
An absolutely beautiful design -- and an inspired idea.
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