Honeybees were a big part of Catholic culture, especially within the early church, and were admired by the clergy for their hard work and chastity. Beeswax is produced by virgin worker bees, and due to that fact is often referred to as Holy Wax. Candles made from beeswax were often symbols for Christ, as well as representations of the most holy chastity of Mary the mother of Christ, , "Like Mary, the wax producing bees possessed a mystical combination of fecundity and virginity. Bees 'produce posterity, rejoice in offspring, yet retain their virginity', says the hymn that is sung on Holy Saturday in honour of the paschal candle.”

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As early as 378 AD St Jerome composed hymns, including the symbolism of the bees and the wax. The Ordo Romanus of the 7th century gives us a description of a Pontifical Mass, in which we find that the bishop was preceded by seven acolytes carrying seven lighted wax candles. The blessing of candles was an inevitable sequence to their use in processions and in the sanctuary. While the Pascal Candle is known as early as the fifth century, the first reference to its blessing is in the writings of Pope Gregory the Great, about 605. Today we often associate the blessing of candles and Candlemas. St Augustine states: "The general rule is that all candles used at liturgical functions should be made of pure beeswax. Therefore, candles made of paraffin, or of tallow are not permitted for liturgical use.”