Iroko (Tempo) Candle
Patience, firm roots, and longevity under Iroko's gameleira (sacred fig tree) and the wind of Tempo
Iroko (Tempo) Candle
7-day candle · stays lit for 7 days7 dias
Whoever seeks the Iroko candle is almost always waiting for something: a process that is not moving, a business that has not yet borne fruit, a slow recovery. It is lit in the Candomblé of ketu, in the houses of angola that worship Tempo, and in terreiros of Umbanda that call Tempo an orixá (orisha). Its request is not for haste. It is for firm ground to endure until the right time.
Iroko lives in the white gameleira, the tree with a wide trunk and a white cloth tied to its chest, and governs the beginning, the duration, and the end of things. In Angola, Tempo, also called Kitembo, is the inquice of the wind and the white flag on the mast. The two share the domain of time and the connection with the tree, but they are not the same divinity: they are correspondences between nations, and many houses insist on this difference.
At home, she asks for calm and constancy from the one who lights her. She does not rush anyone's decision, does not shorten a justice deadline, and does not replace the consecrated foundation (assentamento), which is the foundation of the terreiro's leadership. What she does is remind that maturation is also axé, and that fruit picked green does not nourish.
What is it for
What is the Iroko Candle (Tempo) for?
White with a gray stripe, the Iroko candle carries the color of the ojá tied to the gameleira and the tone of the sky from the wind of Tempo. It asks for patience during a waiting phase, firm roots for what is beginning, lasting health, and respect for elders.
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Enduring a waiting period
For those waiting for a contest result, a legal process, an exam, or from a person. Light it asking for serenity so as not to give up before the time or force what has not yet matured.
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Firm roots to start something
At the beginning of a business, a new home, or a marriage, the Iroko candle asks for a foundation. It is less about growing fast and more about not falling in the first strong wind.
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Lasting health and a good old age
People who care for elderly parents usually light it for them, asking for years with lucidity and a firm body. It accompanies medical treatment, without taking its place.
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A house standing firm in a phase of crisis
When money is tight or the family goes through a storm, the candle asks that the house hold steady like a gameleira trunk: it sways, loses leaves, but stays standing.
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Honoring promises and commitments
Iroko is the witness of oaths. Light it before signing an agreement or when taking on a word, asking for firmeza to fulfill what you promised.
Who rules this candle
Orixás and spirits of the Iroko Candle (Tempo)
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Iroko
Lord of the white gameleira, guardian of the cycles
Iroko is the orixá from Ketu who lives in the sacred tree, he was the path for the orixás to descend to Earth and he demands deadlines and pacts. The white of the candle is that of the ojá funfun on his trunk, and Tuesday is the most cited day.
Knowing Iroko -
Tempo (Kitembo)
Inquice of the wind and the white flag
In the Candomblé of Angola, Tempo is the wind that makes the flag flutter on the mast, worshiped in the open air under a tree. The registered colors are white and green, and there are houses that use gray. His festival falls in August.
Prayer to light
Candle prayer of Iroko to ask for patience and root
“Iroko, tree that saw so many generations be born and die, I come to your feet with the haste that I cannot let go. Teach my root to go deeper while what I asked has not yet sprouted. May I not pull the seed from the earth just to see if it is alive. Tempo, lord of the wind, blow away the anxiety that takes away my sleep and leave only what is mine. Keep my elders with health, set my house in the days of storm and give me firm word to fulfill what I promised. When the time of the fruit arrives, may I know how to harvest and give thanks. Iroko Issó! Zara Tempo!”Light the candle and pray
Step by step
How to set the Candle of Iroko (Tempo)
- 1
Look for a place near the outdoors
Tempo is worshiped under the open sky and Iroko lives in the tree. A table near the window, a protected balcony, or the corner where the house plants are kept serve this purpose.
- 2
Cover with the white cloth
Spread the cotton cloth and place the saucer in the center. The white reminds us of the ojá tied to the gameleira and the flag hoisted on the mast of the houses of Angola.
- 3
Leave the water at the foot of the candle
The quartinha or the glass of water stays beside it during the week. At the foot of every sacred tree there is water, and it receives what the flame is settling.
- 4
Light it with the prayer request in a low voice
Hold the candle, say the name of Iroko or of Tempo, according to your house, and speak what you are expecting. Ask for patience and firmeza, without setting a deadline for the result.
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Accompany without blowing
During the seven days, look at the flame in the morning. If you need to leave, smother it and light it again. At the end, the water goes into the soil of the pot and the leftover wax, wrapped, goes to the trash.
Precautions before lighting
- Candle near a window requires double attention: move away curtains, dry plants, and paper, and use a deep saucer. Never leave it lit within reach of children or pets.
- The assentamento of Iroko or of Tempo is a matter of terreiro foundation and only the leadership of the house builds it. The candle at home is a prayer, it does not replace that.
- Do not light this to keep someone waiting or to rush another person's decision. The prayer request of this candle is for you to have patience.
- When the prayer request is for health or longevity, the candle accompanies medical care and never replaces it. Follow your doctor's guidance.
Ceromancy
What the flame of the Vela de Iroko (Tempo) shows
Traditional terreiro reading. Before interpreting, check if there is no wind, crooked wick, or poor quality candle.
- Good sign
Low and constant flame for days
For this candle, a slow and regular burn is a good sign. Many houses read it as a settled prayer request, which continues to mature at its own pace.
- Observe
Flame that dances with the wind from the window
Near a window, movement is expected. Some see in this the presence of Tempo, but first protect the flame so it does not go out or reach anything.
- Attention
Candle that burns too fast
It could just be a draft or weak wax. If not, it is usually read as the haste of the one who made the request. It is worth praying with more calm and making the request again.
- Good sign
Dripping wax forming roots on the plate
Some people read the wax that descends and spreads like roots as a sign of firm ground. A house reading, without a closed rule among the terreiros.
- Attention
Wick that drowns and the flame disappears
Carefully remove the excess wax and relight. If the candle goes out several times in a row, speak with the zelador of a trusted terreiro.
Ritual bath and smoke cleansing (defumação)
Herbs that combine with the Iroko (Tempo) Candle
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Pepper tree (aroeira)
Schinus terebinthifolius
Tree that some casas de angola use in the consecrated foundation (assentamento) of Tempo. A leaf branch next to the plate recalls the sacred tree. Caution: it causes contact allergy.
See the herb -
Basil
Ocimum basilicum
A light ritual bath of basil before lighting helps lower the anxiety of those asking for patience, without discharging with force.
See the herb -
guiné / Tipi
Petiveria alliacea
A branch of guinea hen weed on the door during the seven days protects the house while the candle asks for firmeza against the storms of a difficult phase.
See the herb
Virtual Candle
Light the Iroko (Tempo) 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 Iroko (Tempo) Candle
Are Iroko and Tempo the same orixá?
No. Iroko is an orixá of Ketu, Loko is a vodun of Jeje and Tempo, or Kitembo, is an inquice of Angola. The three share the domain of time and the connection with the tree, and therefore the candle brings together both names. But they are correspondences between nations, and each house follows its own fundamento.
What is the best day to light the Iroko candle?
Tuesday is the most cited day for Iroko in Ketu houses. Many terreiros, however, do not fix a day of the week and work only the annual date, and for Tempo the day is not settled among the sources. If your house follows another day, follow your house.
Why is the Iroko candle white and gray?
White comes from the ojá funfun, the cloth tied to the trunk of the Iroko tree, and from the white flag of Tempo. Gray appears in some Angola houses, such as in Terreiro Tumbensi, and recalls the windy sky. Other houses prefer white with green.
Can I blow out the 7-day candle and light it again?
You can, as long as you do not blow it out. Muffle it with a saucer or a spoon when you need to leave and light it again upon returning. For a candle that requests constancy, the important thing is to resume the burning, and not leave the prayer request stopped halfway.
What to do with the water and the leftover wax after?
The water from the quartinha or the cup goes to the soil of a pot or the backyard, preferably at the foot of a plant, which is the dwelling of Iroko. The leftover wax goes to the common trash wrapped in paper, and the saucer is washed.
Can I light the Iroko candle at home without being from a terreiro?
You can, as a prayer. Lighting the candle asking for patience and firm roots does not require initiation. What is not done on your own is to consecrate Iroko or Tempo on a tree: that is the foundation of the leadership of the terreiro.
