Upon entering an Orthodox church it is customary to light candles and offer prayers for one’s personal needs or that of a family member or friend. Candles are lit before icons as a sign of one’s faith and hope in God’s help that is always sent to all who turn to Him and His Saints with faith and prayers. In practice, when lighting a candle in Church the faithful usually make a small offering to the Church. By lighting a candle and offering a prayer, one enters into closer contact with the Church and her ministry to the faithful, invisibly warming the soul by the visible light of the candle.