Dark Blue and Red Candle
Vigilance, house protection, and courage in the struggle, with the two colors of Ogum (Ogun) on a single wick
Dark Blue and Red Candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
The dark blue and red candle has a division in the middle of its body, and each half tells a part of Ogum's story. It appears on the Umbanda congá, in the home of those who are children of the orixá (orisha), and on the shelf of many people who work late at night, drive on the road, or return home late. Whoever seeks this candle is almost always asking for the same thing: to be protected while they cannot protect themselves.
Dark blue is one of the colors of Ogum's beads in the Ketu nation of Candomblé, alongside green. Red entered through Umbanda, which in the Southeast syncretizes the orixá with Saint George, the saint in a red cape mounted on a horse. Joining the two is recognizing the same warrior in both traditions. Tuesday is his day in both, but the color of the bead necklace changes significantly from house to house, and it is worth following what your terreiro teaches.
Inside the house, it works as a sentinel. It does not have the calmness of the white candle nor does it serve to attack anyone. What it does is mark a presence at the door, to set the spirit of those who are tired of fighting, and to remind that the struggle can be fought with integrity, without losing one's head.
What is it for
What is the Dark Blue and Red Candle for
Dark blue on the bottom and red on top: these are the two colors with which the povo de santo (the people of the orixás) dress Ogum. The two-color candle is lit to guard the house during the night, protect those who work in risk, and request courage to cross a phase of struggle.
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Guard the house during the night
For those who sleep poorly, fear invasion, or feel the house heavy after it gets dark. Lit near the entrance, it requests that Ogum stays on watch until the day breaks.
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Protect those who work in risk
Security guards, police officers, app drivers, truck drivers, and nurses on duty usually light a candle for Ogum before leaving. The prayer request is to return whole, not to be invincible.
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Courage not to run from the fight
When the time comes to face a lawsuit, an abusive boss, or an old debt. The red flame warms the spirit, and the blue holds the hand so as not to act with a hot head.
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Safer travel and roads
Ogum is the lord of the paths and the iron of vehicles. Before a long trip, the candle stays lit at home with the name of the person who will hit the road said out loud.
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Ward off disturbance and nightmares
For children and adults who wake up scared or feel a strange presence in the room. The candle helps to steady the environment, and a case that keeps repeating deserves a conversation at a terreiro.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Dark Blue and Red Candle
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Ogum
Warrior of iron, sentinel of the paths
The two halves of the candle are his: the dark blue of the nation beads and the red that Umbanda inherited from Saint George. Being the orixá who opens and defends paths, he receives requests for vigilance and protection in the struggle.
Know Ogum
Also settled for
- Ogum Megê
- Ogum Rompe-Mato
- Ogum Beira-Mar
- Caboclos of the Ogum line
Prayer to light
Prayer of the dark blue and red candle to Ogum
“Pai Ogum, owner of the sword and the path, I light this two-colored candle to call you to the door of my house. While I sleep, stay awake for me. While I work, walk by my side in the dark street. Cut with your iron the trap I did not see and push away from me the hand that wants my harm, without me needing to wish harm on anyone. Give my chest the courage of red and my head the steadiness of blue, so that I fight for what is just and know the time to stop. Also guard those I love, wherever they are tonight. Ogunhê, my father!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to firmar the Dark Blue and Red Candle
- 1
Prepare the place near the entrance
Ogum is the guardian of the door, so the candle stays on a firm piece of furniture near the entrance, away from curtains and the wind that comes when the door opens. A blue or white cloth underneath helps to mark the space.
- 2
Check the position of the colors
In the bicolors, the division is horizontal. Notice which color is on top: the flame starts with it and ends on the other. There is no right or wrong here, just pay attention to the path the burning will take.
- 3
Pass the candle between your hands
Hold the candle from the base to the wick and say what you want to keep: the house, a child on duty, tomorrow's trip. Be specific. Ogum understands a direct prayer request better than a speech.
- 4
Settle the water and the sword
Place the glass of water with coarse salt next to the saucer and lean the snake plant (espada-de-são-jorge) leaf against the wall behind. The water collects the weight of the environment during the seven days of burning.
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Light it calling for Ogum
Light it with a match, say Ogunhê and say the prayer. Then speak in your own words, standing up, like someone presenting themselves to a general: with respect, without bargaining and without haste.
- 6
Finish without blowing
Let the candle finish on its own. The water goes to the earth or to the drain and the glass is washed. The leaf can go back to the pot or to a plant. The leftover wax goes in the trash, wrapped in paper.
Precautions before lighting
- 7-day candle near the door requires double attention: no rug, curtain or doormat nearby, and away from children, cats and dogs that pass through there.
- Ogum is a warrior, not a hired vigilante. Do not use this candle to ask for someone to suffer or lose their job. Protection is not achieved by hurting others.
- The firmeza of an assentamento, Ogum's tools, and the obrigação with the orixá are matters for the zelador of your terreiro. A candle at home is devotion; it does not replace the fundamento.
- If fear at night or nightmares are constant, the candle can accompany you, but it is also worth talking to a doctor or psychologist. One thing does not exclude the other.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Dark Blue and Red Candle shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
High and straight flame, without flickering
Many houses read this as a well-established vigil: the request for protection has arrived and the sentinel is standing. It is the most common burn in a well-consecrated Ogum candle.
- Good sign
Burning evenly in both colors
When the blue and red melt at the same rhythm, custom says that courage and prudence are walking together. A good sign for someone who requested strength in a dispute.
- Attention
Crackling and small sparks
Some houses understand that the flame is cutting through some burden (carga) in the environment. Keep the candle lit, pray again, and observe whether the burn calms down over the hours.
- Attention
Wax dripping all to one side
It may indicate that a point in the house or in life requires more care. Before the reading, check if the candle is straight and away from the wind. If it repeats, seek guidance in a terreiro.
- Observe
Darkened glass at the end of the burning
In the 7-day candle, this is very common and usually comes from the wick itself. Wash the glass well or discard it. Only pay attention if it comes with strong smoke and a low flame.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Dark Blue and Red Candle
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Saint George's Sword / Ogum's Sword
Sansevieria trifasciata
The symbol plant of Ogum. A leaf placed behind the candle or a pot next to the door reinforces the idea of protection at the house entrance.
See the herb -
Peregum / Dracena
Dracaena fragrans
Ogum's consecrated foundation (assentamento) leaf in many houses. A ritual bath of peregum before lighting helps to arrive firm and clean at the time of the prayer.
See the herb -
Pepper tree (aroeira)
Schinus terebinthifolius
A cutting herb used in the spiritual cleansing (descarrego) ritual baths of the Ogum line. Good for the eve of a week of duty or a difficult fight.
See the herb -
Rue
Ruta graveolens
A small sprig of arruda next to the glass of water accompanies the vigil and helps to ward off the evil eye of those who enter and leave through the door.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Dark Blue and Red Candle now
Choose the type, write your request, and pay by PIX. The flame stays on the altar and you follow along through the link.
Place on the altarFrequently asked questions
Questions about the Dark Blue and Red Candle
Which orixá is the dark blue and red candle for?
It is for Ogum. The dark blue comes from the beads of the orixá in Ketu Candomblé and the red arrived through Umbanda, because of the syncretism with Saint George. The bicolor joins the two ways of dressing the same warrior, and therefore it is used in both traditions.
What is the best day to light the blue and red Ogum candle?
Tuesday, which is the day of Ogum in Umbanda and in Candomblé. For vigil, the custom is to light it at the beginning of the night. April 23, the day of Saint George, is also highly sought after in the Southeast, but the candle can be lit whenever there is a need.
Can I leave the candle lit near the door while I sleep?
You can, as long as the place is safe. Use a saucer or a deep plate, a surface that does not burn, and nothing flammable nearby. If the door has a draft or passage of animals, prefer a high piece of furniture in the living room, facing the entrance.
Can I blow out the dark blue and red candle before it finishes?
The ideal is not to blow it out. If necessary, smother it with a saucer or a spoon, without blowing, and relight it as soon as you can, saying the request again. In the 7-day one, blowing out and relighting many times weakens the firmeza, so choose a place where it can stay.
What is the difference for the red and white candle?
The weight of the white changes the meaning. The red and white is for Xangô (Shango) in Ketu and in Batuque, with a request for justice and truth, although many Umbanda houses give it to Ogum. The dark blue and red belongs entirely to Ogum and speaks of guard, of struggle, and of a protected path. To watch over the house or someone who works at risk, stay with this one.
What to do with the water and the leftover wax?
The water with salt goes to the ground or to the drain, never to drink or to water a garden. The cup is washed and can return to use. The wax and the darkened glass go to the trash wrapped in paper. The espada-de-são-jorge leaf can be planted or left in a pot.
