“I will be lighting a candle at my home tonight, placing it in the window facing the street,” said Dr Philip Freier to launch the “Candles at Curfew” campaign.

“Above all, pray with me for a swift end to the curfew and coronavirus pandemic in our state.” – Philip Freier

“I invite people across our communities to light up the windows of their rooms, apartments and houses.

“Together we can spread the light as a sign of hope in these dark days.”

With greater Melbourne at Stage 4, non-essential businesses forced to close from midnight and today being the first day of most school students returning to remote learning, Candles At Curfew is one small, positive act during Victoria’s challenging battle with COVID-19.

Whether you share the Christian faith or not, Candles at Curfew invites you to unite in lighting up Melbourne when curfew begins. St Paul’s Cathedral Melbourne has created a hub of online resources and prayers, as Christians may want to pray as they light their candles.

“For Christians, lighting a candle is a symbol of God’s light piercing into the darkness of our own despair,” said Freier.

“It’s our saying that God’s hope is the power that motivates us as we continue to endure these limitations and experience the sacrifice of this time.”

The Archbishop believes the curfew period offers Victorians the chance to consider each other in their shared hardship, as well as valuing all those serving on the health frontlines. Melbourne Anglicans encourage you to post an image of your candle and use #CandlesAtCurfew to spread the word about this front-window movement.

But there’s one more important thing Freier hopes you will help him to do: “Above all, pray with me for a swift end to the curfew and coronavirus pandemic in our state.”