A torch is a stick with

combustible A combustible material is a material that can burn (i.e., sustain a flame) in air under certain conditions. A material is flammable if it ignites easily at ambient temperatures. In other words, a combustible material ignites with some effort a ...

material at one end which can be used as a

light source Light, visible light, or visible radiation is electromagnetic radiation that can be visual perception, perceived by the human eye. Visible light spans the visible spectrum and is usually defined as having wavelengths in the range of 400– ...

or to set something on

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a fuel in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction Product (chemistry), products. Flames, the most visible portion of the fire, are produced in the combustion re ...

. Torches have been used throughout history and are still used in

processions A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...

, symbolic and religious events, and in

juggling Juggling is a physical skill, performed by a juggler, involving the manipulation of objects for recreation, entertainment, art or sport. The most recognizable form of juggling is toss juggling. Juggling can be the manipulation of one object o ...

and entertainment. In some countries, notably the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

and

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...

, "torch" in modern usage is also the term for a battery-operated portable light.

Etymology

From the

Old French Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th tow dipped in wax", probably from Vulgar Latin *''torca'', alteration of Late Latin ''torqua'', variant of classical Latin ''torques'' "collar of twisted metal", from ''torquere'' "to twist". Firebreathingtorch

Torch construction

Torch construction has varied through history depending on the torch's purpose. Torches were usually constructed of a wooden stave with one end wrapped in a material which was soaked in a flammable substance. In the United States, black bear bones may have been used. Modern procession torches are made from coarse hessian (cloth)">hessian rolled into a tube and soaked in wax. A wooden handle is usually used, and a cardboard collar is attached to deflect any wax droplets. They are an easy, safe and relatively cheap way to hold a flame aloft in a parade or to provide illumination in any after-dark celebration. Modern torches suitable for juggling are made of a wooden-and-metal or metal-only stave with one end wrapped in a Kevlar wick. This wick is soaked in a flammable liquid, usually kerosene.

Symbolism

The torch is a common

emblem An emblem is an abstract art, abstract or representational pictorial image that represents a concept, like a moral truth, or an allegory, or a person, like a monarch or saint. Emblems vs. symbols Although the words ''emblem'' and ''symbol'' ...

of both

enlightenment Enlightenment or enlighten may refer to: Age of Enlightenment * Age of Enlightenment, period in Western intellectual history from the late 17th to late 18th century, centered in France but also encompassing (alphabetically by country or culture): ...

and

hope Hope is an optimistic state of mind that is based on an expectation of positive outcomes with respect to events and circumstances in one's own life, or the world at large. As a verb, Merriam-Webster defines ''hope'' as "to expect with confid ...

, thus the

Statue of Liberty The Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''; ) is a colossal neoclassical sculpture on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, within New York City. The copper-clad statue, a gift to the United States from the people of French Thir ...

, formally named ''Liberty Enlightening the World'', lifts her torch. Crossed reversed torches were signs of

mourning Mourning is the emotional expression in response to a major life event causing grief, especially loss. It typically occurs as a result of someone's death, especially a loved one. The word is used to describe a complex of behaviors in which t ...

that appear on Greek and Roman funerary monuments—a torch pointed downwards symbolizes

death Death is the end of life; the irreversible cessation of all biological functions that sustain a living organism. Death eventually and inevitably occurs in all organisms. The remains of a former organism normally begin to decompose sh ...

, while a torch held up symbolizes life, truth and the regenerative power of flame. The torch is also a symbol used by political parties, for instance by both Labour (from 1918 to 1980) and the

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

(from 1983 to 2006) in the UK, and by the

Malta Labour Party The Labour Party (, PL), formerly known as the Malta Labour Party (, MLP), is the oldest List of political parties in Malta, political party in Malta, and one of the two major parties alongside the Nationalist Party (Malta), Nationalist Party. ...

. In the seals of schools in the

Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...

, the torch symbolizes the vision of education to provide enlightenment to all the students. The torch is also associated with the Greek goddess of

witchcraft Witchcraft is the use of Magic (supernatural), magic by a person called a witch. Traditionally, "witchcraft" means the use of magic to inflict supernatural harm or misfortune on others, and this remains the most common and widespread meanin ...

known as

Hecate Hecate ( ; ) is a goddess in ancient Greek religion and mythology, most often shown holding a pair of torches, a key, or snakes, or accompanied by dogs, and in later periods depicted as three-formed or triple-bodied. She is variously associat ...

in some works of art. File:Main Reading Room. Detail of frieze of winged half figures with torch of learning. Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C. LCCN2007684396.tif, Detail of frieze of winged half figures with torch of learning in the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

Thomas Jefferson Building The Thomas Jefferson Building, also known as the Main Library, is the oldest of the Library of Congress buildings in Washington, D.C. Built between 1890 and 1897, it was initially known as the Library of Congress Building. In 1980, the building ...

, Washington, D.C. File:Liberty Island Jul 2019 27.jpg, The original 1886–1984 torch of the

(''Liberty Enlightening the World'') is housed in the

Statue of Liberty Museum The Statue of Liberty Museum is located on Liberty Island in New York City. The museum opened on May 16, 2019, and is focused on the creation, meaning, and history of the Statue of Liberty (formally ''Liberty Enlightening the World''), a large sta ...

Liberty Island Liberty Island is a federally owned island in Upper New York Bay in the northeastern United States. Its most notable feature is the Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''), a large statue by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi that was ...

, New York City Image:Sculpture pont de l'alma Paris FRA.jpg, ''

Flame of Liberty The ''Flame of Liberty'' (''Flamme de la Liberté'') in Paris is a full-sized, gold-leaf-covered replica of the flame of the torch from the Statue of Liberty (''Liberty Enlightening the World''). The monument, which measures approximately 3.5 me ...

'',

Place Diana The Place Diana () is a public square situated in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, near the Seine river. History The place is named in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales, by vote of the Council of Paris in 2018. The place is just north of th ...

, Paris File:Hécate - Mallarmé.png, The goddess Hecate holding a torch to her right

Uses

Olympics

The torch carried in relay by runners is used to light the

Olympic flame The Olympic flame is a Olympic symbols, symbol used in the Olympic movement. It is also a symbol of continuity between ancient and modern games. The Olympic flame is lit at Olympia, Greece, several months before the Olympic Games. This ceremony s ...

which burns without interruption until the end of the Games. These torches and the relay tradition were introduced in the

1936 Summer Olympics The 1936 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XI Olympiad () and officially branded as Berlin 1936, were an international multi-sport event held from 1 to 16 August 1936 in Berlin, then capital of Nazi Germany. Berlin won the bid to ...

Carl Diem Carl Diem (24 June 1882 – 17 December 1962) was a German sports administrator, and as a Secretary General of the Organizing Committee of the Berlin Olympic Games, he was also the chief organizer of the 1936 Olympic Summer Games. He cre ...

, the chairman of the event because during the duration of the

Ancient Olympic Games The ancient Olympic Games (, ''ta Olympia''.), or the ancient Olympics, were a series of Athletics (sport), athletic competitions among representatives of polis, city-states and one of the Panhellenic Games of ancient Greece. They were held at ...

in Olympia, a sacred flame burnt inside of the temple of Hera, kept in custody by her priestess.

Juggling

Juggling torches are often used as a prop in

toss juggling Toss juggling is the form of juggling which is most recognisable as 'juggling'. Toss juggling can be used as: a performing art, a sport, a form of exercise, as meditation, a recreational pursuit or hobby. In toss juggling, objects — such ...

: they can be flipped into the air in an end-over-end motion while being juggled, in the same manner as

juggling club Juggling clubs are a object manipulation, prop used by Toss juggling, jugglers. Juggling clubs are often simply called clubs by jugglers and sometimes are referred to as pins or batons by non-jugglers. Clubs are one of the three most popular ...

s or juggling knives, but because of their sound and 'trail of flame', they can appear much more impressive to audiences. To a skilled juggler, there is only a slight chance of being burned, but they are still dangerous.

In Roman Catholic liturgy

In former times, liturgical torches were carried in Eucharistic processions simply to give light. The Church eventually adopted their use for Solemn High Masses. According to Adrian Fortescue, the more correct form of liturgical torches are non-freestanding (i.e. cannot stand up on their own). However, today, even in the Vatican, freestanding, tall candles in ornate candle-stick holders have replaced the former type. The torches are carried by torchbearers, who enter at the Sanctus and leave after Communion.

Anglican Anglicanism, also known as Episcopalianism in some countries, is a Western Christianity, Western Christian tradition which developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the ...

s of the

High Church A ''high church'' is a Christian Church whose beliefs and practices of Christian ecclesiology, Christian liturgy, liturgy, and Christian theology, theology emphasize "ritual, priestly authority, ndsacraments," and a standard liturgy. Although ...

and some

Lutheran Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestantism that emerged under the work of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German friar and Protestant Reformers, reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practices of the Catholic Church launched ...

s use torches in some of their liturgical celebrations as well.

Torchlight march

Torchlight march is a type of

illuminated procession An illuminated procession is a procession held after dark so that lights carried by the participants form a spectacle. The lights will commonly be of the same type, so making a candlelight procession, lantern parade or torchlight march. Examples ...

which is held after dark so that torches carried by the participants form a spectacle (other types of an illuminated procession involve candles, lanterns etc). George Rennie Cupid Rekindling the Torch of Hymen at the V and A 2008

George Rennie Cupid Rekindling the Torch of Hymen at the V and A 2008

Underwater diving

Magnesium torches were used commonly in the 1950s and 1960s as a means of underwater illumination. Magnesium burns with a bright white light, and burns underwater also.

Associations

Love

The association of a torch with love may date to the Greek and Roman tradition of a wedding torch, lit in the bride's

hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a low, partial ...

on her wedding night, then used to light the hearth in her new home. Such a torch is associated with the Greek god of marriage

Hymen The hymen is a thin piece of mucosal tissue that surrounds or partially covers the vaginal opening. A small percentage of females are born with hymens that are imperforate and completely obstruct the vaginal canal. It forms part of the vulva ...

. The idiom ''to carry a torch'' (for someone) means to

love Love is a feeling of strong attraction and emotional attachment (psychology), attachment to a person, animal, or thing. It is expressed in many forms, encompassing a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most su ...

or to be romantically

infatuate Infatuation, also known as being smitten, is the personal state of being overly driven by an uninformed or otherwise unreasonable passion, usually towards another person for whom one has developed strong romantic or sexual feelings. Psycholog ...

d with someone, especially when such feelings are not reciprocated. It is often used to characterize a situation in which a romantic relationship has ended, but where one partner still loves the other. It is considered by some to be dated, but still in wide usage. A

torch song A torch song is a sentimental love song, typically one in which the singer laments an unrequited or lost love, either where one party is oblivious to the existence of the other, where one party has moved on, or where a romantic affair has affect ...

is typically a sentimental love song in which a singer laments an unrequited love.

Gallery

Image:Tikitorch.JPG, A

tiki torch A tiki torch is a pole-mounted torch, typically made of bamboo, that originated in the tiki culture of the mid-20th-century United States, which has increased in popularity and spread to other places as a popular party decoration with a tropical ...

Image:43-aspetti di vita quotidiana, illuminazione,Taccuino Sanita.jpg, Torch seller,

tacuinum sanitatis The ''Taccuinum Sanitatis'' is a medieval handbook mainly on health aimed at a cultured lay audience. Originally an 11th-century Arab medical treatise composed by Ibn Butlan of Baghdad under the name of ''Taqwīm aṣ‑Ṣiḥḥa'' (). In the ...

casanatensis (14th century) Image:18th November Torchlight procession 2013.jpg, 18 November Torchlight procession 2013 in Riga, Latvia Image:Lewes Bonfire, Lewes Borough Bonfire Society.jpg,

Bonfire Night Bonfire Night is a name given to various yearly events marked by bonfires and fireworks. These include Guy Fawkes Night (5 November) in Great Britain; All Hallows' Eve (31 October); May Eve (30 April); Midsummer Eve/Saint John's Eve (23 Jun ...

celebrations in

Lewes Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...

Sussex Sussex (Help:IPA/English, /ˈsʌsɪks/; from the Old English ''Sūþseaxe''; lit. 'South Saxons'; 'Sussex') is an area within South East England that was historically a kingdom of Sussex, kingdom and, later, a Historic counties of England, ...

on 5 November File:Hartola.vaakuna.svg, Two torches in the coat of arms of

Hartola Hartola may refer to: * Hartola (Finland) Hartola () is a municipality of Finland. It is located in the Itä-Häme, Päijänne Tavastia region. The municipality has a population of (), which make it the smallest municipality in Päijänne Tava ...

File:Flag of Zaire (1971–1997).svg, A torch on the

Flag of Zaire The national flag of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is a sky blue flag, adorned with a yellow star in the upper left canton and cut diagonally by a red stripe with a yellow fimbriation. It was adopted on 18 February 2006. A new constitut ...

, 1971–1997

References

External links

Picture of non-freestanding torches
Antique Liturgical Torches in Procession
Picture of non-freestanding torches
Antique Liturgical Torches in Procession {{Authority control Ceremonial flames Fire Lighting Signalling lights Shinto religious objects