Question:

My mother's yahrtzeit (anniversary of death) falls on the 23rd of this month. This year the date falls on Shabbat. How do I go about lighting the yahrtzeit candle?

Answer:

The Jewish calendar day begins at sunset of the night beforehand, hence you would light the yahrtzeit candle on the evening before, and let it burn for the subsequent 25 hours. When a yahrtzeit coincides with Shabbat you light the yahrtzeit candle on Friday afternoon before lighting the Shabbat candles.1

Click here for Shabbat candle lighting times in your city.

Click here for more on the Jewish calendar and how it works.

Best wishes for a sweet new year,

Chani Benjaminson,
Chabad.org

P.S. As you are probably aware, a yahrtzeit is observed on the anniversary of death on the Jewish calendar. I, therefore, assume that you are referring to the 23rd of the current Hebrew month. See our Yahrtzeit Calculator if you need help determining the exact date of the yahrtzeit. This link also tells you how to schedule yahrtzeit email reminders and leads you to more information regarding yahrtzeit observances.