Why incense at catholic mass

W hen something is incensed, the censer thurible is swung three times, which represents the Three Persons of the Blessed Trinity.

There are different times during the Mass that incense may be used. In addition, incense is used at funerals both in the church at the casket and at the cemetery. It is used on Holy Thursday as the Blessed Sacrament is put in repose. And during the Easter Vigil, five grains of incense are placed into the Paschal Candle. Yes, the use of incense is deeply rooted in our Catholic heritage. Pascal Deloche Godong.

This fragrant element of our Catholic heritage dates to millennia before Christ. Tags: Liturgy. Support Aleteia! That a priest of the Old Covenant was offering incense when the birth of the forerunner of the New Covenant is announced links the use of incense as a prayer offering to the worship of Christ the Lord. The fulfillment of this worship is pictured in the Book of Revelation when St. John has a vision of the worship in heaven see Chapter 4.

He understands the worship in heaven to be a completion of the Jewish worship in the Temple. Because of his vision and because the first Christians were Jews, it would make sense to assume that the early Christians used incense in their Eucharistic ceremonies. The offering of incense as viewed in the first few centuries of Church writings is usually negative. One of the most common ways to ask Christians to compromise their faith was to force them to offer incense to pagan gods.

It is probable, therefore, that the practice of using incense in Christian worship was abandoned to avoid confusion among the faithful and to present a clear witness: incense offerings were associated with paganism and, therefore, abandoned by Christians.

Incense in worship made a comeback in the fifth century once Christianity was firmly established. As the use of incense increased, its connection with the Book of Revelation was seen more clearly. The apostle John saw clearly that the offering of incense was a beautiful symbol of prayer. Then the server swings the incense as the priest offers up the Lamb of God on the altar.

The offering of incense at Mass is therefore an important part of Catholic worship. The use of both resins originated on the Arabian Peninsula. The resin primarily comes from the Commiphora myrrha tree, although other members of the Commiphora family also provide it. An officiant may use incense at several points during a Roman Catholic Mass. According to the St. The use of incense in religious worship predates Christianity by thousands of years. First in the East circa BC in China with the burning of cassia and sandalwood, etc.

Incense is noted in the Talmud, and the Bible mentions incense times. The earliest documented history of using incense during a Catholic sacrificial liturgy comes from the Eastern branch of the Church.

The rituals of the Divine Liturgies of Saint James and Saint Mark dating from the 5th century include the use of incense. Documented history of incensing the Evangeliary Book of Gospels during the Mass dates from the 11th century.

The use of incense within the liturgies continued to be developed over many years into what we are familiar with today. In the Old Testament God commanded His people to burn incense e. Incense is a sacramental used to venerate, bless, and sanctify. Its smoke conveys a sense of mystery and awe. It is a reminder of the sweet-smelling presence of our Lord.

Its use adds a feeling of solemnity to the Mass. The visual imagery of the smoke and the smell reinforce the transcendence of the Mass linking Heaven with Earth, allowing us to enter into the presence of God. The smoke symbolizes the burning zeal of faith that should consume all Christians, while the fragrance symbolizes Christian virtue. In the Old Testament animal offerings were partially or wholly consumed by fire.

In essence, to burn something was to give it to God. In his monograph Sacred Signs , Monsignor Romano Guardini , who greatly influenced the writings of Pope Benedict XVI, had these beautiful words to say about the use of incense:. The offering of an incense is a generous and beautiful rite. The bright grains of incense are laid upon the red-hot charcoal, the censer is swung, and the fragrant smoke rises in clouds. In the rhythm and the sweetness there is a musical quality; and like music also is the entire lack of practical utility: it is a prodigal waste of precious material.

It is a pouring out of unwithholding love. Sacred Signs , English translation, St.