Do you like the smell of a Catholic Church?

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I don’t know why but all Catholic Churches old and new(even ones in other countries) all smell good to me. It is a warm comforting smell like my home or my parents home smells. The strange thing is that I have been in Churches of all kinds of denominations including one Greek Orthodox Church and they don’t have that warm Catholic Church smell.

I know its a crazy questions but I am just wondering if others experience this as well.
 
I like the smell of incense, not that I’ve encountered it very often except on Holy Thursday. Beyond that I can’t say I’ve noticed any smell particularly characteristic of Catholic churches.
 
Hubby has always said he loves how the Catholic Church is one of the few Churches that incorporate all 5 of your senses. Sight, sound, taste, touch and smell!
I’d say the Orthodox and some of the Lutheran Churches do too.

But it’s definitely the incense you’re smelling. At least…that’s what I can smell. Yes, it absolutely feels comforting and warm when you walk into one.
 
Yes it’s a different smell, it is a comforting and relaxing smell
 
I love the smell of a Catholic Church. There is just something, I don’t know what word to use…mystical, about it. Perhaps it is just from incense being used over the years, or from the candles constantly burning. Either way, it is something I enjoy, so much, and I truly miss being able to breathe the scent of a Catholic Church.
 
I love the smell of the church, I wish I could find some way of having the same smell in my home… not sure how to do this though. Any suggestions, please PM me lol
 
LouiseHine said:
I love the smell of the church, I wish I could find some way of having the same smell in my home… not sure how to do this though. Any suggestions, please PM me lol
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Me, too! I even bought a frankincense & myrrh room spray but I threw it away because it smells nothing like church. I wish I could replicate the smell at home. My church smells so peaceful.
 
The incense. Takes me back thru the centuries.

LOVE IT.😃
 
M1Garand said:
I don’t know why but all Catholic Churches old and new(even ones in other countries) all smell good to me. It is a warm comforting smell like my home or my parents home smells. The strange thing is that I have been in Churches of all kinds of denominations including one Greek Orthodox Church and they don’t have that warm Catholic Church smell.

I know its a crazy questions but I am just wondering if others experience this as well.
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The Episcopalians call it “smells and bells.” Olfactory and auditory ambiance can be a powerful mood creator.
 
Not just the smell, but when entering, you realize you are in a holy place.
 
psalm126 said:
Me, too! I even bought a frankincense & myrrh room spray but I threw it away because it smells nothing like church. I wish I could replicate the smell at home. My church smells so peaceful.
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Love the smell of most churches as well.

Question, which I think is answered above; Is frankincense & myrrh the most commonly used incense “odor ype” in churches? I’d love to by some, or either, as mentioned, a room spray, but wasn’t really sure what the smell actually was. 🙂
 
I love the smell of incense and candles in the Church–I feel like I’m “home”. However, my allergies do not particularly like incense, even in Eastern churches, which supposedly uses a purer form. I usually have a coughing attack and find it a little difficult to breathe if a lot is used.

Thankfully, our priests tend to be judicious in it’s use. No smoke alarms are in danger of going off.
 
rotlex said:
Love the smell of most churches as well.

Question, which I think is answered above; Is frankincense & myrrh the most commonly used incense “odor ype” in churches? I’d love to by some, or either, as mentioned, a room spray, but wasn’t really sure what the smell actually was. 🙂
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It’s frankincense. You can burn some on a charcoal disc which you put in a bowl. It’s kind of a spicy smell, not like Indian incense at all.
 
I too love the smell, its so comforting and makes you feel safe. I would love to have my home smell that way, a place eveyone wants to be.
 
My wife and I would disagree on how nice a Catholic church smells. I would say it always smells nice, my wife’s answer would depend on how recently they had burned incense (which bothers her nose).

Someone needs to do a frankincense and myrrh scented candle (c’mon Yankee Candle…)
 
tvknight415 said:
My wife and I would disagree on how nice a Catholic church smells. I would say it always smells nice, my wife’s answer would depend on how recently they had burned incense (which bothers her nose).

Someone needs to do a frankincense and myrrh scented candle (c’mon Yankee Candle…)
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Never thought of that and surprised no one has one yet!
 
I would think an Orthodox and Eastern Catholic church would always smell better than a Latin Catholic church.

ECs and Orthodox use incense every time, while Latin rite Catholics use it often to rarely. Also in EC and Orthodox churches the candles are always %100 beeswax. Including votive candles.

In latin churches even the altar candles need be only half beeswax, and the votive candles are often paraffin.
 
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