Incense

[Philothei]

So he was well respected and his word accountable then?
It was a deacon from Antioch that wrote it down but how many years later? 350? 500?

Simon our bibles are "copied" from the original... many years later ...we still do not have all original writings so I would not be so critical with "hand me down" information... You think ALL the bible has survived from its original writings ? Nope! Most writings are indeed Byzantine in origin. We should thank them for it

 

[Incariol]

I got my package from Orthodox Christian Stick,Cone, Liturgical and Athonite Incenses, Censers and Prayer Corner Items - Desert Fathers Incense today (8/10), which is pretty fast, 48 hours, across the country. She ships priority mail, and very nicely promptly refunds part of shipping if she can send the order in a smaller container rather than sending flat incense sticks across country in a larger box.

It is such a relief to get that. It isn't even comparable with the sort of air freshener incense I was using before. Slightly trickier to light though.

 

[Ortho_Cat]

I don't know of any good reason why man should cease to offer incense to the Lord. It has been done since the beginning. If it aint broke, don't fix it!

 

[Gregory Thompson]

Simon our bibles are "copied" from the original... many years later ...we still do not have all original writings so I would not be so critical with "hand me down" information... You think ALL the bible has survived from its original writings ? Nope! Most writings are indeed Byzantine in origin. We should thank them for it

Ah .. so that's why people are changing the bibles according to earlier manuscripts .. yes yes .. this makes sense

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

I would point out that it is not a 'must have' Dogmatic liturgical practice. It is seen as an enhancement... a decoration. It is allowed. It comes part and parcel with the lighting of the lamp. This is a good example of a Judaic custom that has found a proper home in Christian worship. Yes, it was there from the beginning, and yes it almost got snuffed out (pun intended) during the 1st century.

We can be all but certain that the 'lighting of the lamp' was done at the last supper.

In the liturgy, which in essense is a meal, there are prescribed places [in the rubrics] for the censer to be used. There is nothing that says it 'has to be' lit.

Honestly... if the smell bothers you, I would say find one that pleases you.

There are many to choose from...

And don't forget that it could be the charcoal that bothers you and not the insence. Most charcoal has something like gunpowder mixed in for ease of lighting. It does put off a gas when ignited. If you get your face down in it (like I do while blowing it...) I can see how you might wind up with a headache.

Try myrrh for starters, and use "very little". Most people will agree that it is soft and pleasant. Lily of the Valley, is another that is very soft as is Rose.

Don't let the incense burn to black. Scrape it off the charcoal just before the fragrance changes to a burnt smell. (A dark brown color just before becoming black.)

BTW ~ No need to burn a whole charcoal for one service. Try breaking them in half. You can always add.

Forgive me...

 

[cobweb]

The only time I have problems with it is if there is too much charcoal of if they are burning rose. For some reason the rose incense makes me cough.

 

[Philothei]

I hate the "burnt" out incense...yikes...it stinks. And I like what OUSA said about breaking the charcoal to smaller piece.. That is a great idea as then they burn together with the incense and you do not waste it. When I use incense I burn it and sence around the house but then when it is almost out and it is 'burnt" I place it by the window so it burns off and I do not have to smell it..
Cobweb rose is a heavy smell and it does makes me oozy sometimes... Myrth is a good one for starters and the plain one is best for newbies with incense

 

[Adam Warlock]

I don't know of any good reason why man should cease to offer incense to the Lord. It has been done since the beginning. If it aint broke, don't fix it!

Yes!!!

 

[OrthodoxyUSA]

The Syrian Church knows 38 liturgies... all contain the use of incense.

http://orthodoxincense.com/domesticincense.html

Forgive me...

 

[CaliforniaJosiah]

The Syrian Church knows 38 liturgies... all contain the use of incense.

Forgive me...

I do forgive you.


Good to know. I've been invited to attend the Orthodox Church. I know now I must respectfully decline.


Thanks.






.

 

[Kristos]

I do forgive you.


Good to know. I've been invited to attend the Orthodox Church. I know now I must respectfully decline.


Thanks.






.

You will need to come to grips with your post-modern philosophical view of the world and of theology before it would be worth while.

How is the Lewis book coming? Read the book.

 

[Philothei]

I do forgive you.


Good to know. I've been invited to attend the Orthodox Church. I know now I must respectfully decline.


Thanks.






.

Or if you know the priest and ask him to use no incense you could indeed attend a vesperal service... Just saying here

 

[Incariol]

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?...11160083.8744.104578182913886&type=1&comments

LET MY PRAYER ARISE AS INCENSE BEFORE THEE


From Old Testament times believers have burned incense as an offering when worshiping God. The ancient temple in Jerusalem even had priests whose sole duty was to keep the censer burning twenty-four hours a day.

Ancient pagan kings were often escorted with large fans of peacock feathers and burning incense when entering their palaces. Early Christians took both these symbols for their worship in recognition of Christ as their Sovereign King and Lord. To this day the Orthodox Church uses incense in most of her services, and large circular fans, reminiscent of the peacock fans of ancient times, are held over the Gospel book during the proclamation of God's word during celebrations of the Divine Liturgy.

As a young man attending my very first Orthodox Liturgy, I was struck by the use of incense. The words of the Psalmist King David, "Let my prayer arise as incense before Thee...", is chanted during every celebration of Vespers during the censing of the temple. During every service where there is a great censing of the whole church, the priest (or deacon) censes the frescoes and icons as windows into eternity, as the incense wafts upward as an offering of the people of God.

The people are also censed by the priest in recognition of their having been created in the image and likeness of their Creator God. Incense is so central in Christian worship that it is even used in the worship of the domestic church, where the family gathers in prayer around their own icons, reading the scriptures together, and offering their family prayers to the Lord.

Let my payer arise as incense before Thee!

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

 

[Incariol]

I do forgive you.

Good to know. I've been invited to attend the Orthodox Church. I know now I must respectfully decline.

Thanks.

.

But why? Incense isn't that bad?

Any new thoughts on this subject?

 

[Rick Otto]

Honestly... if the smell bothers you, I would say find one that pleases you.

Is this what it is all about?

 

[brinny]

Considering that incense has played a significant role in the devotions of God's chosen people for millenia, do you use incense in worship, at home, in private prayer etc?

I think it is a significant (though yes, not necessarily essential for salvation since I know how many of you feel that is all that matters) part of Christian worship.

The prayers of God's people are "incense", literally.

 

[Rick Otto]

The prayers of God's people are "incense", literally.

Exactly, except "figuratively", which doesn't denigrate the meaning in any way. Let's face it, incense is literaly incense & prayers are literaly prayers & only in metaphor do the twain meet.
I like the smell of sage. I like the smell of franfincense & I have some, but it is less convenient to burn. I had some myrrh oil. It was nice. Reminded me of the smell of a fresh box of crayons for some reason.
Cedar is probaly my favorite aroma.

 

[Rick Otto]

Or if you know the priest and ask him to use no incense you could indeed attend a vesperal service... Just saying here

Might be a normal thing in a parish with somebody allergic?
I never heard of allergic reactions to incense in churches but I've met a person who is allergic to sage smoke.

 

[brinny]

Originally Posted by brinny
The prayers of God's people are "incense", literally.

Exactly, except "figuratively", which doesn't denigrate the meaning in any way. Let's face it, incense is literaly incense & prayers are literaly prayers & only in metaphor do the twain meet.
I like the smell of sage. I like the smell of franfincense & I have some, but it is less convenient to burn. I had some myrrh oil. It was nice. Reminded me of the smell of a fresh box of crayons for some reason.
Cedar is probaly my favorite aroma.

"And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints.' ~revelation 5:8

Myrrh smells a bit like cedar to me.

 

[Rick Otto]

MET'APHOR, n. [Gr. to transfer, over, to carry.] A short similitude; a similitude reduced to a single word; or a word expressing similitude without the signs of comparison. Thus "that man is a fox," is a metaphor; but "that man is like a fox," is a similitude or comparison. So when I say, "the soldiers fought like lions," I use a similitude. In metaphor, the similitude is contained in the name; a man is a fox, means, a man is as crafty as a fox. -Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Was the myrrh you smelled an oil? I don't know what it's original form is.