With the candle makers of Sibulan
I had paid a visit to the beautiful church of Sibulan. I did not have a great religious upbringing and certainly not Catholic. I am fascinated by these grandiose buildings, often built with donations from those who have the least and saved bitterly from their mouths. When I stepped back out at the far end, where the altar was, I came upon people maintaining an open fire under a large black metal can.
After I asked what was going on here, I was told that they were melting down the wax collected from burned candles and making new candles from it.
I was then allowed to watch this process. The black candles are sold by the candle women sitting around the church cheaper than the brand new white candles.
Since not only black candles but also white ones are sold, the accumulating wax becomes more and more over time. This can be seen well in a side room where collected wax is stored for later. It looks there like in a coal pit.
This is also all visible in the video:
SIBULAN – The Town