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 8th, 2024 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.
Every year you are invited to post a message on our Memorial Wall which will be available, during the event, at TCF’s national website. The Memorial Wall will be open to post a message Sunday, December 1st, through Friday, December 13th. Photos can be posted on our TCF Facebook page.
Add a Candle Lighting Program
Scroll down and Click on your state below to view Worldwide Candle Lighting events in your area.
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
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.
Massachusetts
Cotuit (Cape Cod)
Hearts, Hope, Healing and Cotuit Federated Church
- Date & Time:
- December 8, 2024 - 6:45 PM
- Location:
Cotuit Federated Church, 40 School Street, Cotuit, Massachusetts
- Highlights:
The ceremony will include music, readings, lighting a candle for our children, grandchildren, and siblings speaking their names.
- Bring:
Please bring a votive candle and framed photo of your children, grandchildren, and siblings to be placed on table.
- Special Events (before):
Doors will open at 6:00 PM and program will begin at 6:45 PM.
- Contact:
- Leyla Nickerson
- Telephone:
- 774-722-1918
- Email:
- leyla.nickerson@gmail.com
Leominster
North Central Massachusetts Chapter
- Date & Time:
- December 8, 2024 - 6:30 PM
- Location:
Leominster Veterans Center, 100 West Street, Leominster, MA 01453
- Highlights:
Program will consist of the credos, poetry readings, special music, lighting of individual candles (children under 12 will light a battery-powered candle), and a slideshow of loved ones.
- Bring:
Attendees should bring pictures or remembrances for our memory table.
- Special Events (before):
6:00 PM – doors open
6:30 PM – ceremony starts
7:00PM – candle lighting begins
Refreshments after program is over.
- Special Events (after):
Light refreshments will be served after the program is over.
- Contact:
- Jody Pupecki
- Telephone:
- 978- 786 - 5014
- Email:
- webmaster@tcfncm.org
Springfield
Springfield MA Chapter
- Date & Time:
- December 8, 2024 - 6:50 PM
- Location:
Directions to The Christmas Box Angel Statue in John Bator Park, Williston Avenue, Easthampton, MA
From the South (Springfield)
Take 91 N 7.7 miles
Take Rt-141 W exit 17B towards Easthampton 0.3 miles
Turn slightly right onto Rt-141 W/Easthampton Rd/Hamden St. Continue to follow R.-141 W 4.4 miles
Turn left on to Williston Ave.
The Angel Park is on your right.
From the North (Greenfield)
Take 91 S 16.7 miles
Merge onto N King St/US-5/RT-10 via Exit 20 toward RT-9/Northampton/Hadley 1.7 miles
Turn right on to Main St/RT- 9/RT-10 0.3 miles
Turn left onto South St RT-10. Continue to follow RT-10 S 4.2 miles
Turn left onto Union St/RT-141 0.4 miles
Turn right onto Williston Ave.
Angel Park is on your right
- Highlights:
On December 08, 2024, the 28h annual Candle Lighting Program to honor the memory of deceased children, grandchildren, and siblings, will take place at The Christmas Box Angel Statue in John Bator Park, Williston Avenue, Easthampton, MA at 6:50 PM. This is an opportunity to mention your children, grandchildren, and siblings and say a few words or read a poem if you wish. All bereaved parents, grandparents, siblings and family are welcome regardless of when the children, grandchildren, or siblings’ death occurred, the age of the children, grandchildren, and siblings or the cause of death. The program will include music and the reading of your children, grandchildren, and sibling names.
- Bring:
Please bring a candle. It can be battery operated. Also, you may bring pictures, poems or a short story about your children, grandchildren, and sibling.
- Special Events (before):
None
- Special Events (after):
None
- Contact:
- Beth-Ann Jacobs Goff
- Telephone:
- 413-687-1073
- Email:
- FTBMBeth@aol.com
- Additional:
This event is held outside. It will be cold. Please dress accordingly.
A very special thanks to Nance and Bob MacDonald that plan and run this event every year in memory of their son, David.
Auburndale
TCF of Boston
- Date & Time:
- December 8, 2024 - 6:00 PM
- Location:
The United Parish of Auburndale
64 Hancock St.
Auburndale, MA
United States
- Highlights:
The program will include readings, instrumental and vocal music, a testimonial by one of our members and reading of our children, grandchildren, and sibling names as the candles are lit.
- Bring:
Please bring a picture of your children, grandchildren, and sibling.
A social hour will be held after the service including beverages and snacks. Please bring something to share if your are able.
- Special Events (after):
Social hour in the Parish Hall of the church after the candle lighting.
- Contact:
- Beverly Loudin
- Email:
- beverlyloudin@gmail.com
North Reading
TCF of North Boston Seacoast
- Date & Time:
- December 8, 2024 - 6:30 PM
- Location:
Aldersgate United Methodist Church
235 Park Street
North Reading MA 01864
- Highlights:
We will be having readings by members, live music, and a slide show of our children, grandchildren, and siblings. We will also be hosting a potluck dinner.
- Bring:
Potluck dinner.
- Special Events (before):
We will be making photo buttons before the event.
- Contact:
- David Paul
- Email:
- tcfnoshoreconnect@gmail.com
