Midnight Exu (Eshu) Candle
Midnight Exu Guard to cross transitions and close cycles with protection
Midnight Exu Candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
The Midnight Exu candle is for those in the middle of a passage: left a job and haven't started another, ended a story and haven't started the next, living a long night of life. The guardian has the name of an hour, and the hour is his foundation. The black candle with the label is firmada in the left gira of Umbanda and in Quimbanda, on a Monday.
Midnight is the great hour, when tradition says the Exus work. A street crossroads crosses two paths in space; midnight crosses two days in time, and it is in this crossing that the falange acts. In the Umbanda books, Meia-Noite appears alongside Caveira, in the group that answers to Omulu. Some houses treat him as the head of the falange of the souls line, who opens and closes the gira; others see him as a guardian of the povo de rua like the others.
At home, the candle does not require you to go out at midnight for anything. Lighting it near the door, in the backyard or in the service area, at the turn of the day, already marks your request with respect, as the hour counts more than the place. It asks for protection, clarity, and safe passage; it is not for collecting debts, harming enemies, or closing others' paths. Whoever promises punishment or revenge in the name of this guardian is selling fear and disrespecting the Higher Law.
What is it for
What is the Midnight Exu Candle for
Black as the night he guards, the Midnight Exu candle bears the label of the guardian of the day's turn, the great hour of Umbanda. It is lit during a transition phase, to request protection in a difficult hour, firmeza to decide, and the settlement of what remained pending.
-
Crossing a transition phase
Between one job and another, between one house and another, between the end and the beginning. The candle requests that the passage be guarded and that you do not get stuck in the middle.
-
Protection in a difficult hour
Those who work at night, return late, or cross a period of threat request protection in the dark hours. Prudence and care for one's own safety still apply.
-
Resolve to decide once and for all
Stuck between staying and leaving, the person postpones for months. The candle requests courage to turn the page at the right time, without procrastinating.
-
Settling what remained pending
An old debt, a conversation that never happened, an injustice that stayed in the air. The prayer request is for settlement and balance, not for revenge or anyone's punishment.
-
Unraveling of demands and spiritual weights
To cut astral miasmas, envy, or disturbances that weigh in the early morning. The falange acts by undoing energetic knots and clearing the path so that peace returns to your home.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Midnight Exu Candle
-
Midnight Exu
Guardian of the great hour and the turn
The label is his. The falange works on the turn of the day, the crossroads of time, and receives black and red candles, cigar, and drink. Many houses mark the delivery at exactly midnight.
-
Exu
Orixá of passages and beginnings
Every passage belongs to Exu, the passage of place and the passage of time. Monday and the black and red of the povo de rua come from the orixá (orisha), who is greeted before any guardian.
Know Exu -
Omulu and Obaluaê
Lord of the earth and of the calunga
In Umbanda books, Meia-Noite appears in the group of Exus who work under Omulu, the lord of the cemetery, together with Caveira. It is a connection of some houses, not all.
Know Omulu and Obaluaê
Also settled for
- Line of the souls
- Street people (povo de rua)
- People of the calunga (in some houses)
Prayer to light
Prayer of the candle of Exu da Meia-Noite for the hour of passage
“Lord Exu da Meia-Noite, guardian of the hour in which one day turns into another, I set this candle with respect and ask for permission from the forces of the left. I am crossing a phase of transition and come to ask for your protection in difficult moments. Illuminate my steps in the dark, ward off discouragement, break the demands that try to block me and close behind me everything that has already fulfilled its time. Open clean paths before me so that new cycles begin with firmeza and peace. Give me clarity to make decisions without fear and courage not to waver before uncertainties. What remained pending, may your justice settle it with righteousness and balance, without harming anyone. I respect your mystery, I keep your firmeza and I return to give thanks. Laroyê, Exu da Meia-Noite! Laroyê Exu!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to set the Candle of Exu da Meia-Noite
- 1
Prepare everything before the time
Separate the candle, saucer, drink, and matches before midnight. At the turn, you only light and pray, without running around for materials in the dark.
- 2
Greet Exu and the povo de rua
Say a Laroyê with respect before calling the falange. Whoever guards the great hour asks to be called with calm, firmeza, and without haste.
- 3
Set up near the door or on the floor
Choose a spot on the floor of the service area, in the backyard, or near the entrance gate. At home, the power of the hour and pure intention connect you to the falange safely.
- 4
Light it at the turn of the clock
When it hits midnight, strike the match, light the candle, and place the drink next to it on the saucer. Perform the prayer with sincerity, speaking clearly about the transition you are living.
- 5
Let it burn until the end and discard
Let the candle burn until the end, never blowing out the flame. Pour the leftover drink on the ground or in a pot and discard the used wax in paper wrapped in the common trash outside the house.
Precautions before lighting
- A lit candle at dawn requires extra attention: a firm saucer, nothing nearby that can catch fire, and check the flame before going to bed.
- Deliveries at the crossroads at midnight are done with the house and with company. No spirit asks that you expose yourself to risk on the street at dawn.
- Gira leadership, assentamento, and Exu obrigação are matters of the terreiro. At home, what is done is candle and prayer; the foundation is with your zelador.
- Exu da Meia-Noite guards the passage, he does not make demands upon request. Whoever promises punishment in his name is outside the foundation.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Exu da Meia-Noite candle shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Firm flame right at the turn
Many houses read the candle that catches strong at midnight as the falange receiving the request at its time. Follow the week with tranquility.
- Observe
Bluish flame at the base
In popular reading, it points to a spiritual presence near the request. It could also just be the burning of the wick: observe without creating fear.
- Observe
Trembling flame without a draft
Some houses read it as a passage in progress, something moving. Let it burn and do not touch the candle while it works.
- Attention
Glass completely black with soot
It usually indicates a heavy load in the phase you are going through. A banho de descarrego before the next candle helps; if it repeats, seek a terreiro.
- Attention
Candle that goes out before dawn
It may call for another night or a clearer request. Check the wick and wind, greet Exu again and light it at the next turn of the hour; if it persists, speak with a zelador.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that pair with the Midnight Exu Candle
-
Rue
Ruta graveolens
A sprig of arruda next to the saucer guards the house while the candle burns in the early morning. It can be used in a ritual bath before, from the neck down.
See the herb -
guiné / Tipi
Petiveria alliacea
Strong protection leaf from the povo de rua. A branch behind the front door during the candle days reinforces the guard of the passage.
See the herb -
dumb cane / Dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia seguine
Guard plant at the entrance. A pot near the door, away from the flame, accompanies the request for protection. It is toxic: keep away from children and pets.
See the herb -
Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis
After the candle finishes, a rosemary smoke cleansing in the morning helps to close the passage and start the next day feeling lighter.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Midnight Exu 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 Midnight Exu Candle
What is the Midnight Exu Candle for?
It serves to cross a transition phase with protection, to request a guard during difficult times, for firmeza to decide, and for the alignment of what remained pending. The guardian's name is the hour of the day's turn, and it is in this passage that the falange works.
Do you need to light the Midnight Exu Candle exactly at midnight?
It is not mandatory at home, but it is the strongest custom. Quimbanda houses mark the exact midnight as a foundation; others follow the terreiro schedule. If you cannot stay awake, light it at night and say the request calmly.
What is the best day to light the Midnight Exu Candle?
Monday, the day of the people of Exu. Many people light it at the turn from Sunday to Monday. Some houses work the left side on Friday, and midnight from Friday to Saturday also appears as a great hour. Follow the custom of your house.
Can I light the candle of Exu da Meia-Noite inside the house?
The custom is to set it outside or near the door, never in the bedroom or on the altar of the orixás. In an apartment, the service area works. What is not recommended is going alone at dawn to the crossroads.
What is the difference between Exu da Meia-Noite and Exu Tranca Ruas?
Both guard passages, but of different types. Tranca Ruas guards the passage of a place, the street, and the entrance. Meia-Noite guards the passage of a time, the turn of the day. Therefore, his candle is lit at the hour, and not just on the day.
What to do with the remains of the candle of Exu da Meia-Noite?
The cachaça goes to the earth, in a garden bed or at the foot of a tree. The remaining wax goes wrapped in paper for the common trash, outside the house, during the day. Do not keep the remains or light it again for another request.
Can I blow out the candle of Exu da Meia-Noite before it finishes?
The candle should not be blown out after being set and delivered to the guardian. The ritual fire conducts the request, and burning until the end is part of the spiritual ritual. If there is an emergency with physical safety, smother the flame without blowing, ask for permission, and relight it at the next turn.
