Anisha Riggs
The use of incense in churches is a centuries-old tradition, with roots in ancient Catholic tradition and Jewish tradition. Incense is burned to symbolise the purification of the altar and the prayers of the faithful ascending to God. The sweet, woody, earthy aroma of frankincense, combined with the smoky, slightly bitter scent of myrrh, creates an evocative fragrance that fills the church during liturgical services. The swinging thurible, a censer with chains and bells, is used to burn incense and honour sacred persons or objects, adding solemnity and mystery to the Mass.
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What You'll Learn
Incense symbolises prayers rising to God
The use of incense in Christian worship has a long history, with roots in ancient Catholic tradition. The Bible mentions incense several times, and prayer is likened to incense on three occasions. In Exodus 30, God commands that an altar of incense be made for the tabernacle, and provides a recipe for blending the spices. In Psalm 141:2, prayer is compared to incense: "May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice". In Revelation 5:8 and 8:3-4, incense symbolises the prayers of the saints rising to heaven. St. John writes: "He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones... The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God".
The use of incense in Christian worship is thus symbolic, representing the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. The aromatic smoke is said to purify the altar and sanctify the ceremony. The Catholic Encyclopaedia notes that the use of incense has deep symbolic meaning, and the unique aroma is created by blending fragrant resins with essential oils.
The most common variety of incense used in churches is frankincense, which lends a woody, earthy scent with hints of citrus. Frankincense is derived from the Boswellia tree's resin and is known for its warm, spicy aroma. It has been used in worship by Christians since antiquity and was a gift from the Magi in the Bible. The sweet, citrusy aroma of frankincense fills the air during religious ceremonies, creating an uplifting and spiritual atmosphere.
Another common type of incense used in churches is myrrh, which offers a more complex scent with rich, smoky, and slightly bitter undertones. Other types of incense, such as benzoin and copal, are also used to create unique and distinctive blends. The process of burning incense is an art, with each grain of incense carefully placed in a censer or 'thurible' to release its aromatic smoke. The thurible is then swung by a priest, deacon, or server towards the bread and wine offered for the Eucharist, the consecrated Eucharist itself, the Gospel during its proclamation, and other sacred objects.
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Incense is burned during processions and prayers
The burning of incense during processions and prayers is also seen in other religions. In ancient Egypt, incense was used in religious rituals, such as in the daily liturgy before the cult image of the sun god Amon-Re, and in mortuary rites, where it was believed that the souls of the dead ascended to heaven in the flame. Incense was also used in ancient Greece and Rome, where fragrant woods were burned for protection against demons.
Incense is burned in a censer or 'thurible', which consists of a bowl or censer section, chains, a metal ring, and sometimes a removable metal crucible for the burning charcoal. The smoke and aroma of the incense are believed to symbolise the transcendence of the Mass, linking Heaven and Earth, and allowing people to enter the presence of God. The visual imagery and fragrance reinforce the solemnity and sanctity of the religious rituals in which they are used.
The types of incense used can vary, but frankincense and myrrh are the most common varieties used in the Catholic Church. Frankincense has a sweet, woody, earthy, and slightly citrusy aroma, while myrrh adds a slightly sweet, smoky, and bitter undertone to the blend. The use of incense during processions and prayers adds a powerful symbolic dimension to the rituals and enhances the spiritual experience for the faithful.
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Incense is made from fragrant resins and oils
The use of incense in church rituals has a long history, steeped in ancient Catholic tradition and symbolism. The unique aroma of church incense is created by blending fragrant resins and essential oils, with natural and sometimes synthetic ingredients. The process of making incense involves combining aromatic plant materials, resins, and oils, which, when exposed to a flame or heat source, produce fragrant smoke.
Incense can be made from a variety of ingredients, including fragrant resins such as myrrh, frankincense, and benzoin, as well as essential oils like floral fragrances, citrus, and spices. In the Eastern Orthodox Christian tradition, raw frankincense is ground into a fine powder and then mixed with sweet-smelling essential oils. Floral fragrances are commonly used, but citrus scents like lemon are also popular. In the Catholic Church, the most common types of incense are frankincense and myrrh. Frankincense, derived from the Boswellia tree's resin, has a warm, spicy, and slightly citrusy aroma, while myrrh adds a sweet, smoky, and slightly bitter note.
The process of making incense varies depending on the type and tradition. Direct-burning incense, also known as combustible incense, is lit directly by a flame and continues to smoulder without the need for further heat or flame. This type of incense is often found in the form of sticks or cones, which are made by distilling aromatic materials into essential oils and blending them with perfume industry synthetics to create fragrance oils. The odourless sticks or cones are then dipped into these fragrance oils, absorbing them before being left to cure and dry. After curing, the incense is lit, blown out, and allowed to smoulder, releasing fragrant smoke.
Indirect-burning incense, on the other hand, refers to fragrant resins and mixtures of aromatic materials that do not ignite. Instead, they release their fragrance when placed next to a heat source, such as smouldering coal. Benzoin is a traditional example of indirect-burning incense. Powdered incense, which is commonly used in this method, can be burned without further processing or packed into trails on top of wood ash using a stencil. Paper-based incense is another variation, where paper infused with resin or oils extracted from fragrant materials is folded accordion-style and then lit and blown out.
The act of burning incense in churches holds symbolic meaning. In the Roman Catholic Church, the aromatic smoke is believed to purify the altar and signify the prayers of the faithful ascending to heaven. The ritual involves a member of the clergy "incensing the altar", sanctifying the ceremony. The use of incense in churches varies, with different traditions and rituals, but it is often associated with spiritual solemnity and sanctity, enhancing the religious experience.
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Incense burners are called censers or thuribles
The use of incense in the church is steeped in ancient Catholic tradition and symbolism. The incense is burned to purify the altar and symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. In the Latin Church and its Latin liturgical rites of the Catholic Church, the incense burner is called a thurible or censer.
A thurible is a metal container, usually silver, brass, or gold-plated, and about the size and shape of a coffee pot. It is suspended on three or four chains, with a metal ring that locks the lid in place. The bowl of the thurible contains hot coals, and the incense is placed on top. The thurible is then swung back and forth on its chains, spreading the fragrant smoke. The word "thurible" comes from the Latin "thuribulum", which is derived from the root "thus", meaning "incense".
Censers, on the other hand, can vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction. They may be simple earthenware bowls or intricately carved silver or gold vessels. In many cultures, burning incense has spiritual and religious connotations, which influence the design and decoration of the censer. The term "censer" is often used for pieces made for religious use, especially those on chains that are swung through the air to spread the incense smoke.
Both thuribles and censers are used in the Catholic Church and other spiritual or ceremonial traditions, including some Gnostic Churches, Freemasonry, and Co-Freemasonry. They are also employed in the practice of ceremonial magic.
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Incense has been used for centuries in liturgy
In Christian liturgy, incense is used to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to heaven. This symbolism is rooted in biblical passages such as Psalm 141 (140), verse 2: "Let my prayer be directed as incense in thy sight: the lifting up of my hands, as the evening sacrifice." The use of incense in Christian worship can be traced back to early Jewish rituals and was later adopted by the Catholic Church, Orthodox Christian churches, Lutheran Churches, and Anglican Churches, among others.
The Roman Catholic Church, in particular, has a rich history of incorporating incense into its liturgical practices. Incense is used during Mass, processions, solemn ceremonies, and private prayers. The smoke from burning incense is believed to purify the altar and the surrounding space. The Roman Missal, revised in 1969, specifies the use of incense at various points during Mass, including the entrance procession, the Gospel procession, and the offertory.
The types of incense used in churches vary, but frankincense and myrrh are the most common. Frankincense, derived from the Boswellia tree's resin, has a warm, spicy, and slightly citrusy aroma. Myrrh adds a slightly sweet, smoky, and bitter undertone to the blend. Other ingredients like benzoin, copal, and styrax further enhance the unique scent of church incense.
The practice of burning incense is steeped in ritual and reverence. The grains of incense are carefully placed on red-hot charcoal in a censer or thurible, which is then swung by a priest, deacon, or server towards the objects or persons being censed. The visual imagery of the smoke and the aroma create a multisensory experience that enhances the liturgy and reinforces the connection between the sacred and the divine.
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