Lance Carson
Incense has been used in Christian liturgy since its earliest days, with the first recorded use of incense for worship dating back to Egypt around 2400 BC. In the Catholic Church, incense is used to venerate, bless, and sanctify. It is also used to symbolize the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. The smoke of incense is also symbolic of sanctification and purification. The use of incense is optional for most masses, and a Catholic layman may bless incense with a prayer.
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What You'll Learn
Incense is used to bless statues and images
The use of incense in Catholic worship is steeped in history and symbolism. Incense is used to bless statues and images, and its smoke is believed to symbolise sanctification and purification. The use of incense in Catholic liturgy is believed to have originated in the Eastern branch of the Church, with the rituals of the Divine Liturgies of Saint James and Saint Mark from the 5th century including the use of incense.
The practice of using incense to bless statues and images is part of the symbolic nature of Catholic worship, where everything in the liturgies is said to symbolise a theological truth. The smoke of the incense is believed to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising up to heaven. This symbolism is seen in the Book of Revelation, where John describes the elders worshipping with "harps and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones".
The use of incense in Catholic worship is also believed to have its roots in the Old Testament, where God commanded Moses to build an altar of incense for worship in the Tabernacle. God also gave Moses a recipe for making the incense, which included sweet spices, storax, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense. This incense was to be treated as sacred and used to purify the sacred space of the Tabernacle.
In addition to blessing statues and images, incense is also used in Catholic worship to bless the paschal candle, the coffin at funerals, and the Eucharist. The priest blesses the incense with the sign of the cross before using it, and a profound bow is made to the person or object being incensed.
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It is a powerful liturgical gift
The use of incense in Catholic liturgy is indeed a powerful liturgical gift. Its origins lie in antiquity, with the first recorded use of incense by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC. The use of incense in Christian liturgy was inspired by passages in the Bible and has been employed in Christian worship since the early days of the faith.
Incense is a powerful tool that engages the senses of sight and smell, creating an ambiance of mystery and awe, and reverence. The sweet fragrance of incense is not carnal or stimulating to the appetite; instead, it pulls one into a deeper spiritual experience. The smoke of incense is a symbol of sanctification and purification, representing the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. This symbolism is beautifully described in the Book of Revelation, where the apostle John writes, "the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones" (Revelation 5:8).
The use of incense in Catholic liturgy is deeply meaningful and serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it is used to bless and honour the Holy Gospel, acknowledging the words of God and the story of our salvation. Secondly, it is employed to bless and pray for the purification of the bread and wine, as well as the spiritual gifts placed on the altar. Thirdly, incense is used to anoint, bless, and pray for the purification and sanctification of the priest and the congregation, symbolically preparing them as a purified offering to God.
Additionally, incense is used during Eucharistic Adoration and processions, symbolizing the fragrance of Christ Himself. The practice of incensing is not just a ritual but a powerful prayer in action, connecting our worship on earth with the worship of heaven.
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Incense is used during the Eucharistic Adoration
Incense has been used in Christian liturgy from its earliest days, continuing the Jewish tradition that came before it. In the Old Testament, God gave Moses instructions on how to build the Tabernacle, the traveling temple of God. The Book of Exodus recounts the instructions to build an altar of incense to stand to the side of the altar of sacrifice. God also gave Moses a recipe for making the incense.
> "The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones" (Revelation 5:8).
Incense is also used to purify the coffin at funerals and to bless statues and images. In the Maronite Rite of the Catholic Church, liturgical vessels are purified by being inverted over burning incense to catch the fragrant smoke.
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It is a symbol of sanctification and purification
The use of incense in Catholic liturgies is steeped in symbolism and theology. It is a powerful liturgical gift that engages the senses of sight, smell, and even touch. The smoke of incense is a symbol of sanctification and purification, representing the prayers of the faithful rising to Heaven.
In the Old Testament, God commanded Moses to make an Altar of Incense for worship in the Tabernacle:
> "You shall make an altar to burn incense upon; of acacia wood shall you make it... And Aaron shall burn fragrant incense on it; every morning when he dresses the lamps he shall burn it, and when Aaron sets up the lamps in the evening, he shall burn it, a perpetual incense before the Lord throughout your generation."
God also gave Moses a "'holy recipe' for making incense, which included sweet spices, stacte, onycha, galbanum, and pure frankincense. This incense was to be kept pure and sacred, and it played a role in ritual cleansing and purification of the Tabernacle, making it a worthy place for the worship of God.
The use of incense continued in the New Testament, with frankincense being one of the gifts brought by the Three Kings to Baby Jesus, recognising his roles as priest, prophet, and king. In the early days of the Church, Christians adapted the use of incense from Jewish Temple rituals, and it became an integral part of Catholic worship.
During Mass, the smoke of incense symbolises the connection between worship on earth and in heaven. The apostle John writes in the Book of Revelation:
> "The twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each of the elders held a harp and gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of the holy ones."
Incense is used to bless and sanctify, and its smoke conveys a sense of mystery and awe. It is often used to purify the coffin at funerals, bless statues and images, and prepare paschal candles for Easter. The use of incense in Catholic liturgies serves as a reminder that prayer purifies and sanctifies, making us worthy of worshipping God in heaven.
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Incense is used to venerate and sanctify
> Take these aromatic substances: storax, onycha and galbanum, these and pure frankincense in equal parts; and blend them into incense. This fragrant power, expertly prepared, is to be salted and so kept pure and sacred. Grind some of it into fine dust and put this before the covenant in the tent of meeting where I will meet with you. This incense shall be treated as most sacred by you. (Ex 30:34-36)
The Jewish offering of incense continued throughout the Old Testament period, first in the Tabernacle and then in the Temple in Jerusalem. Incense was also offered as part of the religious ceremonies in the surrounding pagan religions.
The use of incense in Catholic worship is therefore an important part of Catholic worship. It is at that moment that their worship on earth becomes connected with the worship of heaven. The smoke of incense is symbolic of sanctification and purification. It also symbolizes the prayers of the faithful. It is an outward sign of spiritual realities, which is why it has its place in Christian liturgy.
The visual imagery of the smoke and smell reinforce the transcendence of the Mass, linking Heaven with Earth, allowing worshippers to enter into the presence of God.
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Frequently asked questions
Incense is used in the Catholic Church to venerate, bless, and sanctify. The smoke conveys a sense of mystery and awe, and is symbolic of sanctification and purification. It is also used to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven.
While there is no clear answer to this question, it is generally believed that only a priest can bless incense. This is done by putting incense into the thurible and blessing it with the sign of the cross, without saying anything.
The use of incense in the Catholic Church has its roots in antiquity. The first recorded use of incense was by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC, and it was later used by Egyptians during the Fifth Dynasty, 2345-2494 BC. The use of incense in the Catholic Church may have been influenced by its use in ancient Egypt and China, as well as its presence in the Bible. The earliest documented history of incense use in the Catholic Church comes from the Eastern branch, with rituals from the 5th century mentioning its use.
Incense is used in the Catholic Church during Mass and other liturgical services. Priests and altar servers swing censers, sending clouds of incense through the air. It is used to bless and pray for the purification of the bread and wine, as well as the spiritual gifts placed on the altar. Incense is also used during funerals to purify the coffin and to bless statues and images.
