Do Regular People Use Frankincense?

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Hi,

I’m just wondering because I see alot of people at catholic stores buying incence, but I always wonder what they do with it. I know it’s used in church etc, etc. But I do not know what a regular person will do with this? Maybe I’m just unaware of something?

Hope someone can “educate me” a bit more on this.
Thanks
 
I use it every now and then, helps to get me in the right mindset. Gregorian chant with the insence really raises it to the next level, for me at least
 
I use both incenses for our home, and it seems to clear the air as it does in church. I’ve known of other people using it in their home for the same purpose.

GUNNERQUICK: thank you for the added idea of using Gregorian Chants. Is there a particular CD you would recommend? Thanks, and God bless!
 
NiceMimi said:
I use both incenses for our home, and it seems to clear the air as it does in church. I’ve known of other people using it in their home for the same purpose.

GUNNERQUICK: thank you for the added idea of using Gregorian Chants. Is there a particular CD you would recommend? Thanks, and God bless!
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Music for the Soul CD by Cistercian Monks of Stift Heiligenkreuz.

I saw them on 60 minutes, they are from Austria, and bought the CD on Amazon.com.

I use it as my background for contemplative prayer on the train, on my way home from work.

IT IS FABULOUS!
 
Well I wouldn’t go so far as to consider myself ‘regular’ by any stretch of the imagination. But we do use incense at home when we say the family rosary on First and Second Class feast days. We have a thurible that we use to incense 4 first class relics on the mantle. We also incense the family members. We use frankincense during most of the year except for lilac during Pascaltide and Myrrh during Lent. We also light candles depending on the class of the feast day.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.)
Here is the family room mantle on Easter.

Once again, I don’t think I qualify for regular.
 
giuseppeTO said:
Well I wouldn’t go so far as to consider myself ‘regular’ by any stretch of the imagination. But we do use incense at home when we say the family rosary on First and Second Class feast days. We have a thurible that we use to incense 4 first class relics on the mantle. We also incense the family members. We use frankincense during most of the year except for lilac during Pascaltide and Myrrh during Lent. We also light candles depending on the class of the feast day.

http://lexorandi.com/pub/mantle.jpg
Here is the family room mantle on Easter.

Once again, I don’t think I qualify for regular.
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Love it, giuseppe! My own home is getting there.

I burn incense quite a bit. Frankincense occasionally, but mostly “Queen of Heaven”.
 
I’ve used frankincense for years, long before I ever became Catholic.
 
You can buy frankincense or other incenses online. I once visited an Orthodox monastery in Massachusetts that sold many different kinds of incense: rose, cinnamon, myrrh, frankincense, etc. A link to one website that sells such incense:

orthodoxincense.com/domesticincense.html

The motivation to use incense for most people is that it marks the prayer time as something special - out of the ordinary. In the Old Testament, the evening sacrifice in the Temple was marked by the offering of incense, which symbolized the prayers of God’s people rising up to heaven.
 
Eastern Catholics with icons at home burn incense in front of their home icons, just like they do with the icons at their churches.

Incense and votive candles are pretty much the same kind of thing, when it comes to home use for prayer. Catholics of all rites have been known to use it.
 
I use it for incense. I agree with the above posters, it’s for ambiance.
 
Some early mornings I burn frankincense and have a candle going on my coffee table…I sit with a nice Celtic CD or a Gregorian Chant CD and study scripture and “enter into Meeting” to start my day.
 
It’s expensive. I bought a huge bag in Oman a while ago. I also have myrrh. I also have some edible frankincense. It makes me stomach feel better.
 
Thanks for the replies everyone. This post really cleared up my doubts and I even bought some incense and started using it, it is very helpful for improving concentration in my prayers. thanks for all the replies.
 
Gatekeeper said:
It’s expensive. I bought a huge bag in Oman a while ago. I also have myrrh. I also have some edible frankincense. It makes me stomach feel better.
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Wow, have never heard of edible frankincense!!

I used to burn frankincense and listen to chant when I was away from the Church. I haven’t used it in my home since I was married, though. 😦
 
kieron123 said:
Hi,

I’m just wondering because I see alot of people at catholic stores buying incence, but I always wonder what they do with it. I know it’s used in church etc, etc. But I do not know what a regular person will do with this? Maybe I’m just unaware of something?

Hope someone can “educate me” a bit more on this.
Thanks
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Is incense the same as frankincense?

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

INCENSE. Aromatic gum or resin in the form of powder or grains that give off a fragrant smoke when they are burned. When blessed it is a symbolic sacramental. Its burning signifies zeal or fervor; its fragrance, virtue; its rising smoke, human prayer ascending to God. It is used at Mass, for the Gospel book, the altar, the people, the ministers, and the bread and wine; before consecration; at benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; during processions; and at absolutions of the dead. When it is to be used, it is carried in a metal cup-shaped container and burned in a thurible or censer. Five large grains of it are placed in the Paschal candle at the Easter Vigil to symbolize the Five Wounds of the Risen Savior. In some countries it is placed in a stationary censer to burn slowly before the Blessed Sacrament, either exposed or reserved on the altar. (Etym. Latin incensum, incense; literally, something burned; from incendere, to kindle.)

FRANKINCENSE. A white resin obtained from balsam trees and used in perfumes and medicines. One of the events related following the birth of Jesus was a visit to the manger by wise men from the East who brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11). (Etym. Old French franc encens, pure incense.)
 
thistle said:
Is incense the same as frankincense?

Modern Catholic Dictionary:

INCENSE. Aromatic gum or resin in the form of powder or grains that give off a fragrant smoke when they are burned. When blessed it is a symbolic sacramental. Its burning signifies zeal or fervor; its fragrance, virtue; its rising smoke, human prayer ascending to God. It is used at Mass, for the Gospel book, the altar, the people, the ministers, and the bread and wine; before consecration; at benediction of the Blessed Sacrament; during processions; and at absolutions of the dead. When it is to be used, it is carried in a metal cup-shaped container and burned in a thurible or censer. Five large grains of it are placed in the Paschal candle at the Easter Vigil to symbolize the Five Wounds of the Risen Savior. In some countries it is placed in a stationary censer to burn slowly before the Blessed Sacrament, either exposed or reserved on the altar. (Etym. Latin incensum, incense; literally, something burned; from incendere, to kindle.)

FRANKINCENSE. A white resin obtained from balsam trees and used in perfumes and medicines. One of the events related following the birth of Jesus was a visit to the manger by wise men from the East who brought him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:10-11). (Etym. Old French franc encens, pure incense.)
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Frankincense is a specific type of incense. Other kinds are also used e.g. myrrh, sandalwood, cassia, etc. Many are blends of several substances, though my own favorite is pure frankincense.
 
drforjc said:
Frankincense is a specific type of incense. Other kinds are also used e.g. myrrh, sandalwood, cassia, etc. Many are blends of several substances, though my own favorite is pure frankincense.
Click to expand...
Thanks.
 
Alan55 said:
You can buy frankincense or other incenses online. I once visited an Orthodox monastery in Massachusetts that sold many different kinds of incense: rose, cinnamon, myrrh, frankincense, etc. A link to one website that sells such incense:

orthodoxincense.com/domesticincense.html

The motivation to use incense for most people is that it marks the prayer time as something special - out of the ordinary. In the Old Testament, the evening sacrifice in the Temple was marked by the offering of incense, which symbolized the prayers of God’s people rising up to heaven.
Click to expand...
For those interested, I’ve purchased from this site before. Very reliable and professional…and good quality incense. I use mine when praying at my prayer corner. It helps me “get in the mood” and part of that is that it helps me remember that my prayers should rise like incense (such as in PSALM 141:1-3) to God.
 
Neofight: Thank you so much for your recommendation!

Giuseppe: Thank you for the picture! It is inspiring!

Alan: Thanks for the web link

Mintaka: Thank you for the information re the eastern orthodox. I am not eastern orthodox, but now i don’t feel so alone in my practice.
 
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