Worldwide Candle Lighting Memorial Service
The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting on the 2nd Sunday in December unites family and friends around the globe in lighting candles for one hour to honor the memories of the sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, and grandchildren who left too soon. As candles are lit on December 10th, 2023 at 7:00 pm local time, hundreds of thousands of people commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon.
Now believed to be the largest mass candle lighting on the globe, the annual Worldwide Candle Lighting (WCL), a gift to the bereavement community from The Compassionate Friends, creates a virtual 24-hour wave of light as it moves from time zone to time zone. TCF’s WCL started in the United States in 1997 as a small internet observance and has since swelled in numbers as word has spread throughout the world of the remembrance. Hundreds of formal candle lighting events are held, and thousands of informal candle lightings are conducted in homes, as families gather in quiet remembrance of children who have died and will never be forgotten.
Add a Candle Lighting Program
IMPORTANT: If you attempt to submit your candle lighting service and we do not contact you or your service is not listed within 48 hours, please contact kathiek@compassionatefriends.org.
We also will be holding a virtual candle lighting for those who would prefer to attend virtually. We will have four programs in the
Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific time zones.
Register below for your time zone.
Virtual Worldwide Candle Lighting
Every year you are invited to post a message in the Remembrance Book which will be available, during the event, at TCF’s national website. The Remembrance Book will be open to post a message Thursday, December 1st, through Friday, December 16th. Photos can be posted on our Worldwide Candle Lighting Facebook page.
The Compassionate Friends and allied organizations are joined by local bereavement groups, churches, funeral homes, hospitals, hospices, children’s gardens, schools, cemeteries, and community centers. Services have ranged in size from just a few people to nearly a thousand.
Click on your state below to view Worldwide Candle Lighting events in your area.
View International Countries
If you do not see a candle lighting program in your area, contact your local chapter to see if they are planning a program. Find a chapter.
Illinois
Bloomington
Bloomington-Normal Chapter
- Date & Time:
- December 10, 2023 - 7:00 PM
- Location:
St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1617 E. Emerson Street, Bloomington, Illinois Use entrance facing Emerson Street (across from Ewing Manor)
- Highlights:
Readings, a speaker, special music, the lighting of candles, and the reading of children, grandchildren, and sibling names
- Bring:
You may bring a photo to display
- Special Events (before):
Prior to the service, you can put an angel on the tree.
- Contact:
- Linda Zick
- Telephone:
- 815-848-8660
- Email:
- lzick@frontier.com
Batavia
Fox Valley Chapter
- Date & Time:
- December 8, 2023 - 7:30 PM
- Location:
This candle lighting ceremony is part of our December meeting, and we will also be having refreshments and a raffle. It will be held at The Lodge at Laurelwood Park, 800 N. River Street, Batavia, IL.
- Highlights:
We will share music and light candles in memory of the children, grandchildren, and siblings we have lost.
- Bring:
Please bring a picture of your children, grandchildren, and siblings. If you have a special candle, you can bring that. Otherwise, we will have plenty of extras.
- Special Events (before):
Before the ceremony we will have introductions.
- Special Events (after):
After the candle lighting, we will have refreshments.
- Contact:
- Sarah Kimber
- Telephone:
- 630-404-2043
- Email:
- tcffoxvalley@outlook.com
Pekin
Pekin Area Chapter
- Date & Time:
- December 10, 2023 - 5:30 PM Harp music, Program begins at 6:00 PMPekin
- Location:
Pekin Mineral Springs Park Pavilion
1701 Court St.
Pekin, IL 61554
- Highlights:
There will be harp music, special vocal music, and various readings. We will recite the names of our children, grandchildren, and siblings during the candle lighting session of our program.
- Bring:
Please bring a photo of your children, grandchildren, and siblings gone too soon to display.
- Special Events (after):
There will be refreshments and hot cocoa after our program.
- Contact:
- Laura Schmied
- Telephone:
- 309-657-8635
- Email:
- lschmied5@yahoo.com
Chicago
Queen of All Saints Basilica
- Date & Time:
- December 10, 2023 - 6:30 PM
- Location:
Queen of All Saints Basilica
6280 N Sauganash Ave, Chicago IL 60646
- Highlights:
Our ceremony will include readings, music, poems, candle lighting and a reading of our children, siblings, and grandchildren names while we reflect with our candles.
- Bring:
You are welcome to bring a photo or keepsake of your loved one to be displayed on our remembrance table.
- Contact:
- Kathy Haring
- Telephone:
- 773-865-8673
- Email:
- elizabethministry.qas@gmail.com
- Additional:
Please email elizabethministry.qas@gmail.com to request the name of your loved one to be read during the service. In addition, If you wish to share any short personal stories , memories, or photos of your loved ones, to be displayed at our ceremony, please include this in your email.
Belvidere/Boone County
TCF of Belvidere/Boone County
- Date & Time:
- December 10, 2023 - 7:00 PM
- Location:
1045 Belvidere Rd.
Belvidere, Il
Please go to the fellowship hall located on the west side of the building by the playground. There will be banners to help in finding location.
- Highlights:
We will have readings, poetry, and music.
- Bring:
Please bring a photo of your children, grandchildren, and siblings to display on our table. Please bring your children, grandchildren, and sibling’s favorite cookie or snack to share.
- Special Events (before):
Please arrive about 6:45 PM so we may start promptly at 7 PM.
- Special Events (after):
We will have a fellowship time after the ceremony with refreshments and beverages.
- Contact:
- Charmaine
- Telephone:
- (815) 978-0844
- Email:
- charmaine.cornwell@gmail.com
- Additional:
You may also contact Rebecca at (847) 363-9730 or Mark at (847) 363-1034 for further information
Bourbonnais
TCF OF Kankakee/Will Counties
- Date & Time:
- December 10, 2023 - 6:30-8:00 PM
- Location:
Robert Latham Community Room at Bourbonnais Municipal Center
700 Main St NW
Bourbonnais IL 60914
- Contact:
- Candace
- Telephone:
- (815)403-3709
- Email:
- k3willtcf.kirsten@gmail.com
Villa Park
West Central Suburban Chapter
- Date & Time:
- December 4, 2023 - 6:30 PM
- Location:
The Villa Park Library – The Ohrman room
305 S. Ardmore
Villa Park, IL 60181
- Highlights:
There will be readings, music, a photo slideshow of our children, grandchildren, and siblings, tributes, and social time.
- Bring:
Please bring a framed photo of your children, grandchildren, and siblings.
- Special Events (before):
Water and coffee will be available.
- Special Events (after):
Refreshments will be available. Water and coffee will be provided.
- Contact:
- Lynn Callister
- Telephone:
- 630-834-4829
- Email:
- lynn949@aol.com
- Additional:
A photo slideshow of our children, grandchildren, and siblings is being created as part of the program. You can send a digital copy (jpeg format) to Ed at edward_jourdan@outlook.com with the children, grandchildren, and sibling names. Please submit by November 18th.
