Going to the perpetual adoration chapel as I grew up usually required entrance via the main church. On a given day, when there was no daily mass or confession, the lights would be off – mostly. The sanctuary lamp still burned, dim spotlights shone upon the main altar and side altars to Mary and Joseph, and faint light came in through the stained glass. My home parish is no cathedral – it was built in the 1980's and reflects that era of modernity – yet in the low light the church had a lofty sense of the eternal and inspired quiet reverence for Christ and His house.

This is the power of lighting a sacred space. Light is a fundamental theme throughout Scripture and plays a key role throughout many faiths, be it in sunlight, heavenly light, or halos. It is most commonly associated with purity, knowledge, and the transcendent – as we see Mary crowned with the stars and the moon at her feet; Saul blinded on the road; Moses bearing witness to the burning bush; and the Star of Bethlehem guiding the Magi to Christ. Such a fundamental concept has demanded and continues to demand careful study and use throughout architectural and artistic history.

Light plays a central role to the liturgy and is needed to fully understand faith. In the Christian tradition, there are many specific uses of light to communicate Church teachings. The Tenebrae service during Lent involves the slow extinguishing of lights, eventually leaving the church in complete darkness followed by a loud noise signifying Christ’s death. The sanctuary lamp is lit at all times to remind us of and honor Christ’s presence in the church. Both of these deeply symbolic traditions persist in the Church and likely will remain for centuries, so long as the struggle between darkness and light remains present in our every day lives.

Church lighting has certainly evolved over time but its purpose has not. From the monastic use of candles to measure how much time has passed to our handy switches with preset light configurations for adoration, mass, or choir practice – lighting levels communicate to us what “mode” the church is in and how we ought to act as a result. In the same way that the furniture informs us of our place within the church, lighting can either encourage hushed tones or exigent song.

One of the most important ways you can begin a project is by asking the right questions. How do you move through this space? What is the significance of moving from the entrance to the altar or to the pews? And what are the focal points in the liturgy itself? This of course requires a thorough understanding of the faith, the community, and the architecture surrounding the project. The best lighting will illuminate and compliment the architecture and religious experience without detracting from it or hiding it.

In the case of the Roman Catholic church, all focus is upon the altar and tabernacle – wherein lies the Real Presence of Christ. Of course, parishioners need to be able to see their missals and hymnals in the pews but, when we walk in, our gaze should immediately come to rest in the sanctuary, aided by art, architecture, and the light that illuminates it all.

The team at Canning Liturgical Arts has often advised on the best choice of lighting for a church, especially after a renovation or restoration. This part of a project is critical as lighting can make the church look refreshed or all the more dreary. How many times have you looked at a painting in a museum but struggled to see each detail because of how the light raked across the impasto? Similar effects can play out on a church ceiling or wall, detracting from the new or restored artwork. Metallic leaf looks best in low, indirect light, necessitating that even a light balances strength, utility, and beauty – though in a different sense of the words.

If a light is too strong or too weak, it no longer serves its purpose; if it is not mounted correctly or in the right place then it loses all utility; and if it is not beautiful or subtle by way of light temperature, then the whole space suffers and can feel more like a stadium than a spiritual home. Two instances where lighting played key roles in the final result are St. Mary’s in Norwalk, CT and St. Mary’s in Bethel, CT.  

This beautiful Gothic church in Norwalk had suffered a serious “wreckovation”. Art and color were whitewashed and recessed lights had been installed to counter the oppressive void created by this lack of color and decoration. Without varied colors or patterns, the stark white vaults showed every nook and cranny of shadow and the church seemed to lose its sacred beauty. The new design inspired by high French Gothic churches breathed new life into the space. The iconic blue ceiling with gold stars and orange highlights is brighter without recessed lights and the sanctuary shimmers in low light with a mix of gold and silver leaf. New chandeliers in the side aisles do not block the central view to the apse and provide both up and down light to illuminate the space above and below. Between the new lanterns, the stars in the ceiling, a sunburst in the apse, and the Holy Spirit breaking forth on the sanctuary wall, light seems to have completely reclaimed this space for Our Lady and her devotees. 

A modern example of the power of effective lighting, this circa 1996 building had an incredible number of can lights and windows. But even with all those lights, the interior lacked the sacred feeling. When Canning renovated the interior, close attention was paid to choice of color and material since it would all aid in a brighter church. Eventually, we eliminated the can lights and reduced the number of lights to 14 LED lanterns with a few spotlights in the apse and track lights along the main ceiling beams. The lanterns provide unobtrusive up and down light that is adjusted to the right temperature so as not to feel cold; the track lights highlight the architecture and warm colors that seem to lift the ceiling higher; and finally, the spotlights provide special attention to He who deserves all our attention – Our Lord.

These projects and many more showcase how necessary it is for our churches to by properly illuminated. Any church, modern or traditional, has the aim of bringing us closer to our faith and inspiring pensive prayer. Only when the light within a church is warm, intentional, and guiding can the space effectively inspire truth, goodness, and beauty within us and our surroundings.

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