Yes. If your lantern breaks, if the fire goes out, you die. If you die for any other reason, the lantern goes out. They're linked. And if you die, when your body comes back in the church, so does your lantern. There are candles in the church too and they're probably related, but I don't know anyone who's looked into it yet.

[He hasn't. He noticed one burning when he awoke there after his own death on the shoreline, that first month. But he hadn't thought to question anything about it, for churches always have candles, don't they? But it seems noteworthy, given the lack of light and fire every other place.]