Does anyone know of a single coherent study of > the > "miracle" of the candles of the Holy Sepulcher? No, but if I may contribute a few incoherent thoughts. Far be it from me to cast doubt on a true miracle - and having felt the atmosphere in the Holy Sepulchre, I could well believe that spontaneous combustion could take place there - I sometimes wonder if part of the explanation may lie in the kind of candles employed. People use a bundle of perhaps a dozen rather thin candles (about a quarter of an inch), bound together. Light one candle, and the others light very quickly, almost explosively, rather as if one match in a box of live matches should light - a very good reason for not putting spent matches back in the box. I saw one chap nearly burn his hand off when the candles he was carrying suddenly burst into flame, and I hadn't noticed that he was attempting to light them. Doubtless there was a perfectly rational explanation - perhaps he passed a bit too near one of the many stands of lighted candles in the Holy Sepulchre. But the effect was quite spectacular. The Supple Doctor. ____________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.co.uk address at http://mail.yahoo.co.uk or your free @yahoo.ie address at http://mail.yahoo.ie %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%