How to use incense?

[FirstCalled]

I’m looking into making my home more “traditional” and am thinking of buying a thurible and incense, but in all of the directions I’m reading online none of them tell you how much incense to use for how long, any suggestions on this and what your favorite prayers you use or anything would be useful.
Thanks!

 

[Garyjohn2]

It’s pretty much up to you! Just light it up, and enjoy the aroma.

If you are burning it indoors, start with a small amount so you don’t saturate the room to the point that you no longer enjoy it.

 

[CDNowak]

I’m looking into making my home more “traditional” and am thinking of buying a thurible and incense, but in all of the directions I’m reading online none of them tell you how much incense to use for how long, any suggestions on this and what your favorite prayers you use or anything would be useful.
Thanks!

If you are using grain incense over charcoal, as most Catholic Churches use, then the charcoal controls the burn time (standard seems to last 45-60 min). The strength and amount of smoke is controlled by the amount and quality of the incense itself. Try a small amount and see how well it works. If you put too much own, though, it will smother the charcoal.

 

[Stylites]

I’d recommend your local Catholic bookstore, as many of them carry some lines of frankincense and myrrh, in stick form.

 

[5Loaves]

We usually burn rose incense from Holy Transfiguration Monastery at my parish. It smells great and burns with a nice amount of smoke. (When the smoke detectors go off in DL our priest says it’s been a successful Liturgy ) We sell both the incense and the charcoal in our bookstore. Most Orthodox and EC Churches have some kind of bookstore and sell incense and self-lighting charcoal. I know others here have also recommended Gloria Incense.

There have been discussions about charcoal here before. I highly recommend getting it from an Orthodox or EC bookstore or even from a Latin source that sells the self-lighting disks. I’ve gotten cheaper versions in venders’ stalls at some parish festivals and found it was not good.

I know there have been threads on this topic before. I went to a couple and the links mainly went nowhere except on this thread: Re: Eastern Catholic/Orthodox incense.

Myself, I take one of the self-lighting charcoal disks and break it into maybe 1/4s. I hold a piece in my hand and put a burning match to it. It will start to fizzle and sparkles run thru the charcoal. At that point I put it into the burner as it is getting hot. I stick two or three pellets of incense on to the charcoal. The heat usually will cause the resin in the incense to stick to the charcoal. That will burn for maybe half an hour. I have several containers for burning- a small antique brass Chinese one I inherited from great grandparents, a contemporary brass one and a soapstone one. The soapstone one is like this but more squat. I tend to use it most often. I like the multiple holes in the top.

I usually chant an Akathist to the Mother of God or make a simple direct intention for someone.

We burn the traditional bees wax tapers on our icon stands. There are usually stubs about 5" long left at the end of a Sunday DL. I bring some home periodically and burn them also.

P.S. Now looking again at one of the links on the other thread I realize our incense is from Hermitage of the Holy Cross. We repackage it. into small zip lock bags for about $3 to $5 each depending on the quantity of pellets/weight in each bag. We sell various of the florals in the little baggies. The local Russian Cathedral sells it in the tins which have the plainer white label.

 

[Miserys_Fence]

I have several containers for burning- a small antique brass Chinese one I inherited from great grandparents, a contemporary brass one and a soapstone one. The soapstone one is like this but more squat.

Not to get too far off topic–but how do you like the soapstone burner? I have a brass burner, and although the base is slightly elevated, the whole thing gets searing hot and I have to place it on a heatproof coaster or something. Just wondered if the soapstone base stays a bit cooler?

I like the Gloria incense too.

Miz

 

[5Loaves]

Not to get too far off topic–but how do you like the soapstone burner? I have a brass burner, and although the base is slightly elevated, the whole thing gets searing hot and I have to place it on a heatproof coaster or something. Just wondered if the soapstone base stays a bit cooler?

I like the Gloria incense too.
Miz

I lit some and it’s been buring about 20 mins. I can lift the soapstone container enough to move it over a smidge. I wouldn’t want to hold it for more than a second. I have them over my kitchen sink which is my Brother Lawrence style prayer place The surface is tile.

 

[Monty61]

I have a brass burner and self lighting charcoal. It gets really hot, you have to use a pot holder to lift the lid to put more incense on the charcoal.

None of the Catholic stores around me sell incense. Sadly, I buy the charcoal and frankincense at a local “head shop” The charcoal is the same as they use in the water pipe and I think they use the incense to cover the smell of their… stuff.

Although I won’t need to go back any time soon becaue my wife and I visited a number of Orthodox churches over the summer and we bought all kinds of incense at each one

The burner I have is on three chains and looks like a miniature of one you would see at Mass, if you can find a Mass where they use incense. I got it at a Muslim food store!

Some times I light it just to smell it; often we light it when we say the Rosary together.

 

[stevephillips79]

hi,

i think, you have try a small amount and see how well it works and If you put too much own, though, it will smother the charcoal. have to go your catholic bookstore, as many of them carry some lines of frankincense and myrrh. thanks.

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[FirstCalled]

Thanks for the suggestions! I bought a censor, charcoal, and frankincense from Holy Transfiguration Monastery. I have another question and if it’s not appropriate or a rule against it that’s fine by me, but, would I be allowed to burn incense in the chapel in adoration at church or is there a rule against it?

 

[5Loaves]

I have another question and if it’s not appropriate or a rule against it that’s fine by me, but, would I be allowed to burn incense in the chapel in adoration at church or is there a rule against it?

I don’t know what you mean by “in the chapel in adoration at church”. That could be adoration of the Blessed Sacrament at the closed tabernacle during which time other people might enter the area to also adore. Or it could be Blessed Sacrament exposed in a monstrance, in which case there will certainly be others present at all times. In either case it would make me very uncomfortable for a lay person to approach with incense the tabernacle or the Blessed Sacrament exposed. It’s not your living room which certainly you are free to incense. a: it could be a fire hazard inside the church. b: some people are highly sensitive to incense, c: I think it would be inappropriate to do so without permission of the pastor.