A votive is an item that is always in prayer for a certain person or cause. Votive candles and incense are lit to recite this prayer until they burn out. Votive statues represent a person that can not attend their place of worship to pray and are to pray for them. They are typically custom made for the person they represent and resemble that person in a stance of prayer. Such statues were used in Mesopotamian temples, but are typically not used today.