A candlelight vigil or candlelit vigil or candlelight service is an outdoor assembly of people carrying candles, held after sunset in order to pray, show support for a specific cause, or remember the dead, in which case, the event is often called a candlelight memorial. Such events may be held to protest the suffering of some marginalized group of people. A large candlelight vigil may have invited speakers with a public address system and may be covered by local or national media. Speakers give their speech at the beginning of the vigil to explain why they are holding a vigil and what it represents. Vigils may also have a religious purpose that contains prayer and fasting. On Christmas Eve many churches hold a candlelight vigil. Candlelight vigils are seen as a nonviolent way to raise awareness of a cause and to motivate change, as well as uniting and supporting those attending the vigil.

Candlelight vigils in South Korea

In South Korea, the Candlelight vigils, or Candlelight protests is a symbolic collective gathering of political dissent in South Korea to combat injustice peacefully. This method of protesting began in 2002 as a result of the Yangju highway incident, was utilized in the rallies against the impeachment of Roh Moo-hyun in 2004, re-used again in the 2008 U.S. beef protests, and emerged in the 2016-18 President Park Geun-hye protests.

Virtual candlelight vigils

In the multiplayer video game EVE Online, players hold "Cyno Vigils" in remembrance of players who have died.

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