It was on December 26, 1878, that a permit was granted by the Governor-General of the Philippine Islands, Domingo Moriones y Murillo for the establishment of an independent government over these barangays.

Its boundaries were fixed by means of a treaty signed by the notable leaders of Tiaong, Sariaya and the founding families of Candelaria.

King Alfonso XII of Spain finally approved the establishment of Candelaria as an independent town on August 5, 1879.

Many houses and public edifices were constructed, and commerce and industries grew, until the Japanese invasion brought a further wave of destruction.

To its northern part lies the famous Mount Banahaw, to the east is Sariaya, to the south is San Juan, and to the west are Dolores and Tiaong.

Candelaria has an area of about 12,910 hectares (31,900 acres) and is an agricultural municipality, situated in the southern part of Mount Banahaw.

Most of the inhabitants are having poultry and livestock business and in the remaining part of the municipality are farmlands mostly of rice, corn, and other root crops.

Rapid progress have been felt since the 1990s where most of the commercial establishments have been built such as retail merchandising, supermarkets, hardware, fastfood outlets or restaurants, shopping mall, and others.

Since 2005, Monsignor Carlos (Charles) Pedro A. Herrera, the parish priest, started his devotion to Nuestra Senora de Candelaria and honored her with a Candle Festival every February 2.

A project in honor of the Blessed Mother Mary that will renovate the patio of the San Pedro Bautista Parish Church had been developed on April 22, 2012.

The renovated patio will convert the current parking lot into a multi-purpose open amphitheater for use of the people of Candelaria.

It will provide a venue for children and toddlers playground, jogging/walking path, a rosary garden, a via Dolorosa, and a stage for performances complete with controlled theater lighting.

The South Luzon Expressway Toll Road 4 (TR4) stretching from Santo Tomas, Batangas to Lucena City will pass in the northern part of the municipality, planned to be finished in 2021.

SUPREME, a bus plying Batangas City-Lucena City route and vice versa also passes through Candelaria (Sambat).

For passengers going to San Pablo City, the terminal is located at the intersection of Rizal Avenue corner Del Valle Street.

Candelaria has no coastline and is one of the inland municipalities of Quezon, together with Dolores, Lucban, Sampaloc, San Antonio, Tayabas, and Tiaong.

The seaport nearest to the municipality is Dalahican Port in Lucena City for passengers going to Marinduque, Masbate, and other island provinces.

It would take approximately two hours in a private vehicle to reach from Candelaria, passing through the municipalities of San Juan, Rosario, and Ibaan, Batangas.