It is celebrated on the second Sunday of December World Day of Lighted Candles (Worldwide Candle Lighting Day).

This event is dedicated to the memory of deceased children, the grief of parents, relatives and loved ones. The flame of a lighted candle symbolizes the flame of the soul. The commemorative date was launched in 1997 in the US as a gift to the bereaved community by The Compassionate Friend, a UK-based peer support group. For the first time, the event was celebrated as a small online event in honor of children who lived a tragically short life for various reasons – due to diseases, accidents, wars, etc.

Currently, many countries around the world join World Candlelight Day every year. At 7 p.m. local time, millions of candles are lit in peace and quiet. Due to the difference in time zones, the wave of light travels around the Earth during the whole day. This event is believed to be the largest candle lighting event. The holiday takes place in an official and informal setting.