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Candle Making Part One

Bassem has been given the task of making candles for the monastery. He makes them in the afternoon, usually one day per week.

Stubs of candles are brought from the church, and beeswax from the previous candle making session is cut into pieces.

These are slowly melted in a barrel that has a butane flame underneath.

Kindling is gathered from the nearby carpenter’s shop.

The kindling and wicks from the melted candle stubs are  burned to keep the dipping vat warm.

While the wax is melting, Bassem wraps metal frames with string. They are placed one finger’s width apart. He can do this rapidly.

Frames wrapped with string. The string at the end is tucked under the previous loops to secure it.

The frames wrapped with string, ready for dipping.

The frame is held over the narrow dipping vat filled with melted beeswax.

It is inserted to the depth of the handles on both sides.

The frame is quickly raised, and the excess wax allowed to drip back into the vat. It needs to be dipped about five times to build up the desired thickness of the candles, being allowed to cool between each dipping session.

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