About 800 tonnes of wax is burnt annually in devotional candles.

The lower edge of the frame is charred, touchingly: that is where devotional candles tipped over.

In the side chapels and by the main entrance, flickering rows of devotional candles sparkled in the gloom.

But the church is glowing - from hundreds of devotional candles.

When I arrived, Sister Nirmala led me into a simple whitewashed room, lit only by tiers of flickering devotional candles arranged against the walls.

Next to the Kreuztor (1385) a shop specialised in devotional candles.

To his surprise, the prince found his devotional candle lit and a fresh red rose, sacred to Matheri, lying on the table by his bachelor bed.

About 40 people stood on wood chips and placed flowers and devotional candles on the site, now nearly bursting with both.

Rarer still, it remains in its original frame, singed along the bottom edge by devotional candles.

As he watched, two figures in white cassocks mounted the platform and began to light rows of tall devotional candles that had been placed behind the altar.