Granulated or powdered aromatic resin, obtained from various plants and
trees in Eastern or tropical countries. When sprinkled on glowing coals
in a vessel called a censer (also known as a thurible), the incense becomes
a fragrant cloud of smoke and so is used to symbolize prayer rising to
God [My comment: the prayers of the faithful during Holy Mass.] (Psalms 141:2, Revelation 8:3-5) and to honor sacred persons and things in the context of liturgical
worship.
In the Eastern Church, more so than in the Latin Church (where
the symbolism is largely taken over by holy water), incense is seen also
as an agent of ritual purification of persons and places.
The use of incense comes into the Church both from pagan worship (hence
the Church's apparent misgivings concerning it during the first centuries) and, as abundant references to incense in the Old Testament would seem
to indicate, from Judaism as well.
While the use of incense is normative for all celebrations of the Eucharist
in the Eastern Church, and for the daily Offices as well, its use in the
Latin Church is associated with celebrations of greater solemnity. In fact,
the pre-Vatican II (Tridentine) rite restricted the use of incense to High
Mass and surrounded its use with many prayer formulae which served to explain
its symbolism.
The Vatican II rite eliminates the prayer formulae, preferring to let
the symbolism speak for itself, but extends the use of incense to any Mass. The General Instruction of the Roman Missal lists a number of occasions
during the Mass when the use of incense is appropriate:
- during the entrance procession and upon arrival in the sanctuary
to honor the altar after kissing it and before greeting the assembly;
- during the Gospel procession and to honor the Book of Gospels after greeting the people and announcing the evangelist;
- at the Preparation of the Gifts, to honor the altar, the gifts,
the ministers and the assembly;
- at the elevations which follow the consecration, to honor the Body
and Blood of Christ now present;
- and, finally, to add solemnity to the recessional.
Incense may also be used during the celebration of Morning and Evening
Prayer during the chanting of the Gospel Canticles (the Benedictus or
Canticle of Zechariah at Morning Prayer, and the Magnificat or Canticle
of Mary at Evening Prayer). The altar, ministers and assembly are incensed
at these times. Some modern adaptations of Evening Prayer imitate the
medieval cathedral-style celebrations and Eastern usage by fixing the incense psalm (Psalms
141) at the beginning of the evening psalmody, during which incense
is burned in a censer or even in a stationary brazier placed before the
altar.
The Latin Church also uses incense (again, more sparingly than the Eastern Church) in some of her other liturgical rites. The Rite for the Dedication
of a Church, for instance, specifies that incense is to be burned in a
brazier placed on the altar after the anointing with chrism, and from this
brazier, coal is placed in a censer for the incensation of the church building,
walls and assembly.
Incense is likewise prescribed for use at the rite of commendation and
farewell which concludes the Funeral Mass. Usually during the chanting
of the song of farewell, the celebrant honors the remains
of the deceased (the body which had been the temple of the Holy Spirit
during life) with fragrant incense.
Incense is also commonly used during processions. Indeed, the Ceremonial
of Bishops always places the thurifer (censer-bearer) with smoking incense
at the head of the procession just before the processional cross, unless
the Blessed Sacrament is being borne in procession, in which case the thurifer
(or two thurifers) would be directly before the Blessed Sacrament. Finally,
incense is used whenever exposition with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament
takes place.
Reverend Peter M.J. Stravinskas, Ph.D., S.T.L. Our Sunday Visitor's Catholic
Encyclopedia.
Copyright © 1994, Our Sunday Visitor.