Day 16. Día de las Velitas: Colombia’s Festival of Lights.
In Colombia, Dia de las Velitas (“Day of the Little Candles”) on December 7th marks the beginning of the Christmas season. Streets, homes, and public squares glow with candles and paper lanterns, illuminating neighborhoods and villages. This tradition honors the Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary, but it is also a celebration of community resilience. Even during times of political upheaval or social challenge, families and neighbors gather to create light, asserting hope and continuity.
Children line the streets with candles, neighbors exchange warm greetings, and entire towns collectively participate in creating a luminous landscape. The act of lighting and maintaining candles becomes a metaphor for the perseverance of culture, faith, and shared humanity. Each flame embodies resistance against darkness-both literal and societal-and a commitment to illuminate life with joy and unity.
Unitarian Universalists honor the courage required to maintain hope and justice even when the world feels dark. Dia de las Velitas mirrors our UU covenant: to stand together, nurture one another, and persist in acts of love and light. Across our faith community, the simple gesture of lighting a chalice is a reminder of our commitments to bring justice, hope, and joy into the world.
“Nuestra identidad vive en lo que compartimos.” (Our identity lives in what we share) – Carlos Vives, Colombian Musician and Cultural Ambassador
Reflection: Like the candles of Día de las Velitas, where can your light shine to illuminate hope, courage, and unity in your community?
Learn More
- Explore the Traditions of – Little Candles Day in Columbia
- Get the answers to questions like – What is the immaculate conception?
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