A flame within a chalice (a cup with a stem and foot) is a primary symbol of the Unitarian Universalist faith tradition. Hans Deutsch, an Austrian artist, first brought together the chalice and the flame as a Unitarian symbol during his work with the Unitarian Service Committee during World War II. To Deutsch, the image had connotations of sacrifice and love.

To Unitarian Universalists today, the flaming chalice is a symbol of hope, the sacred, the light of reason, the quest for truth, the warmth of community, the fire of commitment to social justice, and more.

At UUCR, we light a chalice at the start of worships and gatherings to create a reverent space for reflection, prayer, meditation, and singing. At the end, we extinguish the flame but remind ourselves that “we do not extinguish the light of truth, the warmth of community, or the fire of commitment–these we carry in our hearts.”