Anisha Riggs
Incense has been used in religious rites for thousands of years, with the first recorded use dating back to Egypt around 2400 BC. In Christian liturgy, incense is burned during services and is placed in a censer or 'thurible', a metal bowl with a lid that is pierced by holes to allow the fragrance to escape. The priest or deacon then swings the thurible, filling the church with aromatic smoke. This ritual symbolises the sanctification and purification of the sacred space, as well as the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. The use of incense in Catholicism is believed to have originated from the Book of Exodus, where God commands Moses to build an altar of incense.
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What You'll Learn
- Incense symbolises the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven
- Incense is burnt during the entrance procession, at the beginning of Mass, and at the proclamation of the Gospel
- The use of incense is optional for most Masses
- Incense is used to bless statues and images
- Incense is used to purify the coffin at funerals
Incense symbolises the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven
Incense has been used in religious rites for thousands of years, with the first recorded use in Egypt around 2400 BC. It was also used in ancient China and plays a part in Buddhist, Shinto, and Taoist ceremonies. In the Christian tradition, incense symbolises the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven.
In the Old Testament, God instructed Moses on how to build the Tabernacle, the travelling temple of God. God commanded Moses to build an altar of incense to stand beside the altar of sacrifice. God also gave Moses a recipe for making the incense:
> Take these aromatic substances: storax, onycha and galbanum, these and pure frankincense in equal parts; and blend them into incense.
The priests of pagan religions believed that the incense was a "spiritual offering". The smoke was an intermediary substance between earth and air, driving away demons and pleasing the gods. Similarly, in the Christian tradition, the smoke of incense is symbolic of sanctification and purification. It also signifies the prayers of the faithful drifting up to heaven. The Psalmist prays:
> Let my prayer come like incense before you; the lifting up of my hands, like the evening sacrifice.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the tradition of burning incense is centuries old. The aromatic smoke not only purifies the altar but also signifies the prayers of the faithful ascending heavenwards. The incense is burned in a censer or 'thurible', a metal bowl with a lid (often topped with a cross), pierced by holes to allow the fragrance to escape.
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Incense is burnt during the entrance procession, at the beginning of Mass, and at the proclamation of the Gospel
Incense is burned during a Catholic Mass for a variety of reasons. It is believed to symbolise the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. The smoke and smell of incense are thought to add a sense of solemnity and mystery to the Mass, linking heaven and earth and allowing people to enter the presence of God.
The use of incense during Mass is optional and varies across different denominations. In the Roman Catholic Church, the General Instruction of the Roman Missal allows the use of incense at any Mass. Incense may be burned during the entrance procession, at the beginning of Mass, and at the proclamation of the Gospel. During the entrance procession, a thurifer (the person in charge of the thurible, or incense burner) leads the procession holding the smoking thurible. Upon arrival at the altar, the priest censes it.
At the beginning of Mass, the priest uses the thurible to incense the cross and the altar. The priest may also incense the Crucifix and the Paschal Candle. The priest blesses the incense with the Sign of the Cross before placing it in the thurible. During the proclamation of the Gospel, the priest censes the Book of the Gospels, first to the left, then to the centre, and finally to the right.
The use of incense in religious rites dates back to ancient times. In the Old Testament, God instructed Moses to build a golden altar for burning incense (Exodus 30:1-10, 30:7, 40:27). The use of incense was also common among the Assyrians, Babylonians, and Egyptians, as recorded by the Greek historian Herodotus. In the early Church, Jews continued to use incense in their Temple rituals, and Christians likely adapted its usage for their own rituals.
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The use of incense is optional for most Masses
The use of incense during Mass is optional for most Catholic priests. While incense is not mandatory, it is used to purify the coffin at funerals and to bless statues and images. However, many Catholic priests choose not to use incense at Mass, and the people of many parishes have forgotten the uses and meanings of incense in worship. This is due to the simplification of Catholic worship and the abandonment of old traditions over the last 50 years.
The first recorded use of incense for worship dates back to Egypt around 2400 BC, 400 years before the time of Abraham. Incense was also used in ancient China and is a part of Buddhist, Shinto, and Taoist ceremonies. In the Bible, the use of incense is mentioned in the liturgies of Saints James and Mark, which originate in the fifth century. A Roman Ritual of the seventh century mentions its usage in the procession of a Bishop to the altar and on Good Friday. Moreover, in the Mass, an incensation at the Gospel appears very early; at the offertory, in the 11th century; and at the Introit, in the 12th century. Incense was also used at the Benedictus and Magnificat during Lauds and Vespers about the 13th century, and for the exposition and benediction of the Blessed Sacrament about the 14th century.
The purpose of incensing and the symbolic value of the smoke is that of purification and sanctification. For example, in the Eastern Rites at the beginning of Mass, the altar and sanctuary area are incensed while Psalm 50, the "Miserere," is chanted, invoking the mercy of God. The smoke symbolizes the prayers of the faithful drifting up to heaven. The Book of Revelation describes the heavenly worship as follows: "Another angel came in holding a censer of gold. He took his place at the altar of incense and was given large amounts of incense to deposit on the altar of gold in front of the throne, together with the prayers of all God's holy ones."
The Thurible, or censer, is the name of the container that holds the incense. It is usually silver, brass, or gold-plated, combining the three gifts of the Biblical Magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The Thurible consists of a metal bowl (usually with a base so it can stand upright) into which the charcoal and incense are placed, and a lid (often topped with a cross), pierced by holes to allow the fragrance from the incense to escape. The censer will usually have three outer chains (for the Holy Trinity) attached to the bowl, and a fourth inner chain (for the Oneness of God) attached to the lid.
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Incense is used to bless statues and images
Incense is used in many religions, including Christianity, Buddhism, Shintoism, Taoism, Hinduism, and Mandaeism. In Christian worship, incense is used at the celebration of the Eucharist, at solemn celebrations of the Divine Office, in particular at Solemn Vespers, at Solemn Evensong, at funerals, and during the consecration of a church or altar. In the Eastern Orthodox Church, Lutheran churches, Anglican churches, and Old Catholic/Liberal Catholic churches, incense is used at virtually every service.
In the Catholic Church, incense is used to bless statues and images. The priest may incense the offerings for Mass by tracing a cross over them with the thurible. The thurible is usually silver, brass, or gold-plated, combining the three gifts of the Biblical Magi: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. The thurible consists of a metal bowl, usually with a base so it can stand upright, into which the charcoal and incense are placed, and a lid (often topped with a cross), pierced by holes to allow the fragrance from the incense to escape. The censer will usually have three outer chains (for the Holy Trinity) attached to the bowl, and a fourth inner chain (for the Oneness of God) attached to the lid.
The number of swings of the thurible to be used when incensing persons or objects is specified in the General Instruction of the Roman Missal. Three double swings are used to incense the Most Blessed Sacrament, a relic of the Holy Cross, and images of the Lord exposed for public veneration. Two double swings are used to incense relics and images of the Saints exposed for public veneration, but this should only be done at the beginning of the celebration, after the incensing of the altar. The altar is incensed with single swings of the thurible.
The use of incense in the Catholic Church has its origins in antiquity. The first recorded use of incense was by the Indians in the Indus Valley Civilisation in 3600 BC. The Egyptians during the Fifth Dynasty, 2345-2494 BC, were the first in the non-Asian world to discover the use of incense, which was used by Hindus for centuries by the time of the 5th Dynasty. Incense use in religious ritual was either further or simultaneously developed in China, and eventually transmitted to Korea, Japan, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines.
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Incense is used to purify the coffin at funerals
Incense has been used in religious rites and ceremonies for thousands of years, dating back to ancient Egypt, China, Assyria, Babylonia, and in Buddhist, Shinto, and Taoist ceremonies. In the Catholic Church, the use of incense is optional for most Masses, but it is used to purify the coffin at funerals and to bless statues and images.
The act of burning incense is rooted in the idea of purification and sanctification. In the Eastern Rites at the beginning of Mass, the altar and sanctuary area are incensed while Psalm 50, the "Miserere," is chanted, invoking the mercy of God. The smoke is believed to symbolise the sanctifying grace of the Holy Spirit and the prayers of the Saints rising to heaven. In the Old Testament, God instructed Moses to build a golden altar for burning incense, which was placed in front of the veil to the entrance of the meeting tent where the ark of the covenant was kept.
In the context of funerals, the use of incense serves multiple purposes. Firstly, it symbolises reverence and prayer, expressing the community of believers' farewell to the departed. The smoke rising towards heaven signifies the ascension of the soul of the deceased. Secondly, it signifies honour and respect for the deceased, recognising that during baptism, the body became the temple of the Holy Spirit. Finally, from a practical perspective, incense was traditionally used to mask the smell of decomposition, especially during the summer or warmer seasons. However, with modern embalming and funeral practices, this functional aspect has become less relevant.
The priest or deacon typically offers the incense during the services, and the number of swings of the thurible (the container for burning incense) varies depending on the liturgy and tradition. The use of incense adds a sense of solemnity and mystery to the Mass, creating a link between heaven and earth and allowing people to enter into the presence of God.
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Frequently asked questions
A priest fills a censer, or thurible, with incense.
A thurible is a metal bowl, usually with a base so it can stand upright, into which charcoal and incense are placed. It has a lid, often topped with a cross, with holes to allow the fragrance to escape.
The use of incense in religious rites is thought to have originated as a way to keep demons away. The smoke was thought to be an intermediary substance between earth and air. The incense smoke is also symbolic of sanctification and purification. It is also said to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven.
