{"id":260818,"date":"2026-02-23T19:41:47","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T19:41:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wordpress.org\/plugins\/virtual-candles-memorial-light-display\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T19:41:18","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T19:41:18","slug":"virtual-candles","status":"publish","type":"plugin","link":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/virtual-candles\/","author":13783682,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_crdt_document":"","version":"2.0.3","stable_tag":"2.0.3","tested":"6.9.4","requires":"6.0","requires_php":"8.1","requires_plugins":null,"header_name":"Virtual Candles - Memorial Light Display","header_author":"Saskia Teichmann","header_description":"Create a digital memorial candle display where visitors can light virtual candles with personal messages. Perfect for churches, memorial sites, and remembrance pages.","assets_banners_color":"a08cc2","last_updated":"2026-02-23 19:41:18","external_support_url":"","external_repository_url":"","donate_link":"https:\/\/isla-stud.io\/donate\/","header_plugin_uri":"https:\/\/virtual-candles.wp-studio.dev\/","header_author_uri":"https:\/\/isla-stud.io","rating":0,"author_block_rating":0,"active_installs":0,"downloads":166,"num_ratings":0,"support_threads":0,"support_threads_resolved":0,"author_block_count":0,"sections":["description","installation","faq","changelog"],"tags":{"2.0.3":{"tag":"2.0.3","author":"Jyria","date":"2026-02-23 19:41:18"}},"upgrade_notice":{"2.0.0":"<p>Major update! Complete rewrite with modern architecture.<\/p>"},"ratings":[],"assets_icons":{"icon-128x128.gif":{"filename":"icon-128x128.gif","revision":3467983,"resolution":"128x128","location":"assets","locale":""},"icon-256x256.gif":{"filename":"icon-256x256.gif","revision":3467983,"resolution":"256x256","location":"assets","locale":""}},"assets_banners":{"banner-1544x500.jpg":{"filename":"banner-1544x500.jpg","revision":3467983,"resolution":"1544x500","location":"assets","locale":""},"banner-772x250.jpg":{"filename":"banner-772x250.jpg","revision":3467983,"resolution":"772x250","location":"assets","locale":""}},"assets_blueprints":{},"all_blocks":[],"tagged_versions":["2.0.3"],"block_files":[],"assets_screenshots":[],"screenshots":{"1":"The \"Light a candle\" form with live preview","2":"Grid display of all burning candles","3":"Chapel carousel mode for large displays","4":"Single candle view with dedication message","5":"Admin settings page","6":"Email notification when someone lights a candle"},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"plugin_section":[],"plugin_tags":[128804,59036,960,125504,256475],"plugin_category":[],"plugin_contributors":[144282],"plugin_business_model":[],"class_list":["post-260818","plugin","type-plugin","status-publish","hentry","plugin_tags-candles","plugin_tags-memorial","plugin_tags-prayer","plugin_tags-remembrance","plugin_tags-virtual-candles","plugin_contributors-jyria","plugin_committers-jyria"],"banners":{"banner":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/virtual-candles\/assets\/banner-772x250.jpg?rev=3467983","banner_2x":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/virtual-candles\/assets\/banner-1544x500.jpg?rev=3467983","banner_rtl":false,"banner_2x_rtl":false},"icons":{"svg":false,"icon":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/virtual-candles\/assets\/icon-128x128.gif?rev=3467983","icon_2x":"https:\/\/ps.w.org\/virtual-candles\/assets\/icon-256x256.gif?rev=3467983","generated":false},"screenshots":[],"raw_content":"<!--section=description-->\n<p>Virtual Candles transforms your WordPress site into a beautiful digital memorial space where visitors can:<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Light virtual candles<\/strong> with personal messages and dedications<\/li>\n<li><strong>Send candles via email<\/strong> to share memories with others<\/li>\n<li><strong>Watch candles burn<\/strong> for exactly 72 hours with realistic animations<\/li>\n<li><strong>Display all candles<\/strong> in a chapel-friendly format on large screens<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>Key Features<\/h4>\n\n<p>\ud83d\udd6f\ufe0f <strong>12 Different Candle Animations<\/strong> - Candles gradually burn down over 72 hours with different GIF animations for each time period<\/p>\n\n<p>\ud83d\udce7 <strong>Email Sharing<\/strong> - Visitors can send lit candles to friends and family via email<\/p>\n\n<p>\ud83d\udcfa <strong>Chapel Display Mode<\/strong> - Special carousel view perfect for large screens in chapels or memorial spaces<\/p>\n\n<p>\ud83d\udd04 <strong>Automatic Expiration<\/strong> - Candles automatically extinguish after 72 hours (with optional cron job)<\/p>\n\n<p>\ud83d\udcf1 <strong>Fully Responsive<\/strong> - Works beautifully on all devices from smartphones to large displays<\/p>\n\n<p>\ud83d\udd12 <strong>GDPR Compliant<\/strong> - Built-in privacy notices and consent checkboxes<\/p>\n\n<p>\ud83d\ude80 <strong>No External Dependencies<\/strong> - Works standalone without requiring Contact Form 7 or other plugins<\/p>\n\n<h4>Perfect For<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Churches and religious organizations<\/li>\n<li>Memorial websites<\/li>\n<li>Funeral homes<\/li>\n<li>Remembrance pages<\/li>\n<li>Prayer request sites<\/li>\n<li>Virtual vigils<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>Available Shortcodes<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><code>[virtual_candles_create]<\/code> - Display the \"Light a candle\" form<\/li>\n<li><code>[virtual_candles_send]<\/code> - Display the \"Send a candle\" form<\/li>\n<li><code>[virtual_candles_display]<\/code> - Show all burning candles in grid layout<\/li>\n<li><code>[virtual_candles_chapel]<\/code> - Special carousel display for chapel screens<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3>Technical Information<\/h3>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Namespace<\/strong>: STstudio\\VirtualCandles<\/li>\n<li><strong>Custom Post Type<\/strong>: candle<\/li>\n<li><strong>Database<\/strong>: Optional stats table for performance<\/li>\n<li><strong>Cron<\/strong>: Hourly check for expired candles<\/li>\n<li><strong>AJAX<\/strong>: Used for form submissions and loading more candles<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3>Support<\/h3>\n\n<p>For support, feature requests, or bug reports:<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Email: hello@isla-stud.io<\/li>\n<li>Website: https:\/\/isla-stud.io<\/li>\n<li>Demo-Website: https:\/\/virtual-candles.wp-studio.dev\/<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h3>Credits<\/h3>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Developed by Saskia Teichmann<\/li>\n<li>Original concept for Kloster K\u00f6nigsm\u00fcnster<\/li>\n<li>Candle animations included with permission<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<!--section=installation-->\n<ol>\n<li>Upload the <code>virtual-candles<\/code> folder to <code>\/wp-content\/plugins\/<\/code><\/li>\n<li>Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress<\/li>\n<li>Go to <strong>Candles \u2192 Settings<\/strong> to configure your preferences<\/li>\n<li>Add shortcodes to your pages where you want the candle features to appear<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Basic Setup<\/h4>\n\n<ol>\n<li>Create a page for lighting candles and add <code>[virtual_candles_create]<\/code><\/li>\n<li>Create a page for the candle display and add <code>[virtual_candles_display]<\/code><\/li>\n<li>Optionally set up a cron job to automatically remove expired candles<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n<h4>Cron Job Setup (Optional)<\/h4>\n\n<p>For automatic removal of expired candles, set up a cron job to call:\n    https:\/\/your-domain.com\/vc-cron\/<\/p>\n\n<!--section=faq-->\n<dl>\n<dt id=\"how%20long%20do%20the%20candles%20burn%3F\"><h3>How long do the candles burn?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Each candle burns for exactly 72 hours from the time it was lit. The candle animation changes over time to show the candle burning down.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20i%20change%20the%20burning%20duration%3F\"><h3>Can I change the burning duration?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Currently, the 72-hour duration is fixed, but this may become configurable in a future update.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"do%20i%20need%20contact%20form%207%3F\"><h3>Do I need Contact Form 7?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>No! This plugin works completely standalone without any external form plugins.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"how%20does%20the%20chapel%20display%20mode%20work%3F\"><h3>How does the chapel display mode work?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>The chapel display mode shows all active candles in a continuously scrolling carousel, perfect for permanent displays in chapels or memorial spaces. It automatically updates to show new candles.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"can%20visitors%20remain%20anonymous%3F\"><h3>Can visitors remain anonymous?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes, visitors can use pseudonyms or just first names when lighting candles.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"is%20this%20plugin%20gdpr%20compliant%3F\"><h3>Is this plugin GDPR compliant?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>Yes, the plugin includes built-in consent checkboxes and privacy notices. You can customize the privacy text in the settings.<\/p><\/dd>\n<dt id=\"how%20do%20i%20style%20the%20candles%3F\"><h3>How do I style the candles?<\/h3><\/dt>\n<dd><p>The plugin comes with default styling, but you can override it with custom CSS in your theme.<\/p><\/dd>\n\n<\/dl>\n\n<!--section=changelog-->\n<h4>2.0.2<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Plugin Review Fixes<\/strong>: Replaced short generic prefixes (<code>vc_<\/code>, <code>ststudio_vcmld_<\/code>) with <code>virtcan_<\/code> to meet WordPress standards.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Security<\/strong>: Rigorous escaping of all template and shortcode outputs (<code>wp_kses_post<\/code>, etc.).<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enqueuing<\/strong>: Removed inline javascript and css outputs, migrating styles to enqueued stylesheets and external scripts.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Database<\/strong>: Altered the Custom Post Type to <code>virtcan_candle<\/code> to prevent possible collisions.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>2.0.0<\/h4>\n\n<p>Release date: January 2025<\/p>\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Complete rewrite<\/strong> from the ground up with modern architecture<\/li>\n<li><strong>Namespace implementation<\/strong> following WordPress coding standards<\/li>\n<li><strong>Removed dependencies<\/strong> on Contact Form 7 and Advanced Custom Fields<\/li>\n<li><strong>New chapel display mode<\/strong> with smooth carousel for large screens<\/li>\n<li><strong>Improved performance<\/strong> with optimized queries and caching<\/li>\n<li><strong>Enhanced security<\/strong> with nonces and proper sanitization<\/li>\n<li><strong>Better UX<\/strong> with jQuery-powered forms and live preview<\/li>\n<li><strong>Admin interface<\/strong> redesigned without external dependencies<\/li>\n<li><strong>AJAX handling<\/strong> for smooth form submissions<\/li>\n<li><strong>Responsive design<\/strong> improvements<\/li>\n<li><strong>Translation ready<\/strong> with complete internationalization<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n<h4>1.1.5<\/h4>\n\n<ul>\n<li>Legacy version (see old plugin for details)<\/li>\n<\/ul>","raw_excerpt":"Digital memorial candle display where visitors can light virtual candles with personal messages for churches and memorial sites.","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin\/260818","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/plugin"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=260818"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wporg\/v1\/users\/jyria"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=260818"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"plugin_section","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_section?post=260818"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_tags?post=260818"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_category?post=260818"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_contributors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_contributors?post=260818"},{"taxonomy":"plugin_business_model","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tah.wordpress.org\/plugins\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/plugin_business_model?post=260818"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}