What kind of incense is used in church

Ps []:2; Rev Incense is also used on Holy Thursday, during the procession with the Blessed Sacrament to the altar of repose. At the Easter Vigil, five grains of encapsulated incense most often made to look like red nails are embedded in the paschal candle.

These five grains of incense represent the five wounds of Jesus Christ — one in each hand, one in each foot, and the spear thrust into His side. At funeral Masses the earthly remains of the decedent and the catafalque may be incensed, and also the gravesite at the burial service.

Incense is used by the Church in many areas outside of the Mass. Near the end of the 4th century, the pilgrim Etheria Silvia witnessed use of incense at the vigil Office of the Sunday in Jerusalem.

Many individuals today both clerical and lay include the burning of incense as part of their praying of the Liturgy of the Hours or during private prayers of their own formulation.

The Roman Ordos [ritual books] from the 7th to the 14th centuries document the use of incense at the Gospel reading, at the Offertory, and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Incense is used in various solemn processions, graveside services, the blessing of the dedication of new churches, cemeteries, and items such as new altars, new church bells, new sacred vessels, and newly acquired copies of the Book of Gospels.

Incense is also used in the rite of consecrating of the chrism and the blessing of other holy oils, and during the singing of the Gospel canticle at solemn Morning and Evening Prayers of the Divine Office.

Grains of incense are placed into the sepulcher of newly consecrated altars along with the relics of saints to represent the burial rite of the ancient martyrs and to symbolize the prayers of the saint to whom the relic belongs.

Incense is burned atop new altars as they are undergoing the process of consecration prior to their first use. Finally, frankincense and myrrh are often blessed at the Mass of the Feast of the Epiphany to commemorate the visitation of the Biblical Magi to the Baby Jesus.

This incense is distributed to attendees for use at their own family altars and to reserve for use at the coming Easter to prepare their home paschal candles.

The Catholic faith is a liturgical faith. It makes use of all five of our senses: sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. This is certainly by design as each sense aids us in availing ourselves of the salvific grace flowing from the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

This is precisely why every effort should be used to employ all of our senses whenever possible during the celebration of the sacred liturgy. This article is condensed from a monograph by Mr. Herrera, of San Luis Obispo, California. Complete version: smellsbells. Feb 15, By Matthew D. Online Edition: February ; Vol.

XVII, No. Why do we use incense? 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. Sacred Signs Incense smoke symbolically purifies all that it touches. Like the monstrance on the altar and the tabernacle on the wall, the incense has roots in antiquity.

According to New Advent Catholic Encyclopedia, not only is incense used to purify the objects that the priest envelops in its smoke, but the smoke from burning incense symbolizes the prayers of the Catholic faithful rising up to Heaven. The most prevalent ingredient in the incense used in Roman Catholic incense is frankincense; however, the primary ingredient used in incense may vary from parish to parish.

In addition tousing frankincense, some Roman Catholic parishes may use myrrh as the main or sole ingredient in their incense. According to the Catholic Encyclopedia, a parish may use a number of unnamed ingredients, ranging in number from four to thirteen, to enhance the aroma of the incense. If the pastor chooses to do so, he may use other forms of incense, even those formulations outside of Catholic tradition. Tree from which it receives the name of the incense of sandalwood. The tree of sandalwood is the plant from which is extracted the resin which was mixed with the incense of Frankincense, will produce the incense of sandalwood.

The tree of sandalwood is a tree of small dimensions, reaching maximum heights of 9 m. The sandalwood trees has evergreen leaves and small flowers. Its wood is of a brown color. The characteristic feature of the tree of sandalwood is the aroma it gives off its wood.

The tree of sandalwood is native to the indian subcontinent. Usually to grow and be grown in dry areas with sandy soils. The sandalwood trees must have certain conditions very specific to your growth. This has hampered the cultivation of sandalwood trees in remote regions of India. The great global demand of incense of sandalwood, combined with the difficulties of his cultivation, have led to a significant decrease in sandalwood trees in India.

This situation has led the indian government to make laws to ensure a sustainable cultivation of tree of sandalwood. The process to get the incense of sandalwood is different to the process to obtain incense of Frankincense. The incense of sandalwood does not leave the resin of the tree of sandalwood, but that is in the wood of the plant. More specifically, the incense of sandalwood, is achieved in the heartwood and roots of sandalwood trees. The heartwood of the tree sandalwood is the inner part of the trunk.

The process of obtaining the incense of sandalwood requires that the tree be uprooted. According to some studies, it is estimated that one tree of sandalwood could be pulled out from the age of 15 years. Currently the laws hindus are forcing the manufacturers to wait 30 years to start the sandalwood trees. Once you have started the tree of sandalwood is crushed the heartwood and the roots. This process generates a paste aromatic. The next step is to mix the sandalwood paste with water and other components to produce the incense of sandalwood.

The incense of Frankincense receives this name because it is considered historically as the original incense the first incense used by the man to aromatize the atmosphere by combustion.

The incense Frankincense or incense Frankincense is extracted from two trees of the family of the Boswellias, Boswellia thurifera or Boswellia sacra.

This family tree also receives the name of the tree Frankincense tree Frankincense, which gives its name to the incense. The Boswellia sacra is the tree that serves as the main source of frankincense Frankincense. Boswellia sacra, also known as the incense tree , is grown mainly in Somalia, Ethiopia, Yemen and Oman in the northeast of Africa and to the south of the arabian peninsula. Boswellia sacra is adapted exceptionally to the land, dry and stony.

The frankincense tree, or tree of Frankincense , is a tree, generally of low stature. The incense tree has a remarkable resistance the absence of water and moisture. For the extraction of incense-Frankincense, the most popular process is by using incisions in the tree of incense.

The gatherers practice a series of incisions carefully measures so as not to damage the plant. Through these incisions, springs the white resin of the incense tree. The resin, under the effect of the sun, it solidifies. Once the resin of the incense tree is compact it is collected. The resin solid is often referred to as resinoide.

The resinoide is subjected to different processes that will result in what is known as the incense Frankincense or incense Frankincense. The use of incense of sandalwood and other incense aromatic, in the liturgical celebrations of the Catholic Church have their origin in the Bible. The burning of incense and the smoke emitted is linked with the prayers of the catholics.

The prayers ascend towards heaven, towards God, as does the smoke of the incense to be burned. In the Scriptures there are numerous references to the use of incense during the liturgical celebrations.

We're going to categorize these references to incense, taking into account their occurrence in the Old Testament or the New Testament. In Exodus 29 and 30, God gives a series of signs for Moses to perform. Among these indications, God says to Moses that you must build an altar of acacia wood covered with gold. The altar will serve to burn incense:. In the Exodus , God continues giving directions to Moses for how they should act the priests:. In Psalms you can read the comparison of the smoke generated by the incense and the prayers of the faithful:.

Up my prayer before thee as the incense, The gift of my hands as the evening sacrifice. Finally, we can also read about the incense in Old Testament in Leviticus 16, Also in the New testament, it refers to the incense.

Perhaps, the reference to incense most well-known is the time of the Adoration of the Magi to the infant Jesus in the stable in Bethlehem. The Magi, knowing the birth of the Child Jesus, traveled to prostrate before Him and worship him. Each one of the three kings carried a present with which to entertain the baby Jesus. The three gifts were gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Matthew :.

And entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him; and opening their treasures, they offered him gifts: gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. Also in the New Testament we can read about the comparison of the smoke of the incense burned and prayers. In the Apocalypse of St. John you can read:.

The origin of the use of incense during the liturgical celebrations in the Church is difficult to determine.