Drie kandelaars van koper in de Onze-lieve-Vrouwebasiliek in Tongeren, België before 1887

Here, we have an image of three copper candlesticks in the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwebasiliek in Tongeren, Belgium. The candlesticks, especially the grand paschal candlestick, carry the weight of ancient symbols. The most imposing candlestick features stylized lions at its base. The lion, a solar symbol, embodies strength, courage, and kingship, and is also often associated with the divine. We see this symbol echoed across cultures and epochs, from the Lion Gate of Mycenae to medieval heraldry, each instance imbuing the lion with protective and authoritative power. Observe the Corinthian columns; their presence is a nod to classical antiquity, evoking notions of balance, harmony, and the sacred grove. The flame each once held is the light of knowledge, an invitation to awaken the dormant, subconscious memories, beckoning us to consider the timeless continuity of symbols and their evolving resonance.