Incensing the Gospels

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mardukm

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I went to a Mass at the local Cathedral Church here in the Philippines, and I noticed something that I’ve never seen done at a Latin Mass.

The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.

Is this common in Latin Masses? Or maybe it is only done in cathedral churches? Or maybe it is only done in the Philippines?

Thank you for your answers.

Blessings,
Marduk
 
Whenever Incense is used in the TLM (except at Requiem Masses) the Gospel is supposed to be incensed before it is read. I’ve never seen the Gospel not incensed at High Mass.
 
In the Ordinary Form of the Mass, incense may be used at the Gospel. The priest (or bishop) blesses the incense and either he or the deacon proclaiming the Gospel will use the incense immediately before beginning to proclaim it.

I’m sure others will post citations from relevant documents, but I hope this helps.
 
If incense is used in the celebration of the Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form), the Gospel (book) is incensed. That is a normal procedure.

Why isn’t it done? “I don’t like the smell of incense.” “It’s too time-consuming to use incense”. are some of the common complaints. Some people seem truly to be allergic to the smell (of a variety of scents one may obtain), and one DRE whom I knew, had to leave Mass at the Easter Vigil for exactly that reason.

Prior to the 1960’s, when I attended the Tridentine Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form, today), the same reasons were used for/against the use of incense. The ONLY exception was the Solemn High Mass (Celebrant, Deacon, Sub-Deacon); incense was ALWAYS used.
 
I’m one of the allergic folks, which is why I make sure I’m sitting in the back of the church and near a side aisle during EF High Mass. In other words, I stay as clear as possible from the altar at the time the Gospel is being read. Otherwise my eyes water and I sneeze repeatedly. By the time communion rolls around, the incense has dissipated, and I’m usually all right. But if they really load up the thurible, I’m an allergic mess.

When I was the RCIA sponsor of a coworker, we attended the midnight Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York on Christmas Eve. They must have been running a special on incense at the church supply store, because it got pretty smoky in there. She was avidly reading everything she could get her hands on about traditional Catholic spirituality at the time. Noticing my watery eyes (plus the fact that one of my contact lenses washed out,) she assumed I had been granted the gift of tears.

Nope. Just allergies.

ACHOO!
 
mardukm said:
I went to a Mass at the local Cathedral Church here in the Philippines, and I noticed something that I’ve never seen done at a Latin Mass.

The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.

Is this common in Latin Masses? Or maybe it is only done in cathedral churches? Or maybe it is only done in the Philippines?

Thank you for your answers.

Blessings,
Marduk
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Hello mardukm,
I love the ritual in the Catholic church. I often go and sit quietly in the back and marvel at the at the beauty of understanding. When I first saw the Gospels being incensed I was intrigued. So much so that after the Mass I asked the Priest. He said it was a visual sign that the word of God was being preached to the faithful on earth. The words and prayers of the faithful being carried up to the Angels in Heaven as is described in the book of Revelations 8:4 King James Version " And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand." The more I learn about the Catholic faith the more I love it.
Your Brother in Christ,
Richard.
 
mardukm said:
I The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.
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it is common in this parish, whether Mass is in English or Spanish, on feasts and solemnities as our priest uses incense liberally, and yes it can be done at any Mass.
 
mardukm said:
I went to a Mass at the local Cathedral Church here in the Philippines, and I noticed something that I’ve never seen done at a Latin Mass.

The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.

Is this common in Latin Masses? Or maybe it is only done in cathedral churches? Or maybe it is only done in the Philippines?

Thank you for your answers.

Blessings,
Marduk
Click to expand...
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) indicates when incense may be used during the Mass: cf. p. 60, #276.c (“at the Gospel procession and the proclamation of the Gospel itself”). It can be used during the Gospel procession, after the words “A reading from the Gospel …”, and while the Gospel is being read.
 
mardukm said:
I went to a Mass at the local Cathedral Church here in the Philippines, and I noticed something that I’ve never seen done at a Latin Mass.

The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.

Is this common in Latin Masses? Or maybe it is only done in cathedral churches? Or maybe it is only done in the Philippines?

Thank you for your answers.

Blessings,
Marduk
Click to expand...
Latin as in the Extraordinary Form? Or are you meaning “Latin” as to the Rite? May I ask which diocese is this Brother Marduk?
 
I attend Mass at a Benedictine abbey, of the Solesmes congregation that does a very reverent OF Mass with Latin (+a speck of Greek!) Gregorian chant. The gospel, chanted in French, is always incensed by the priest before it is proclaimed, and while the priest proclaims it, the acolyte swings the censer in front of the ambo. This of course for Sunday Mass and any other Mass where incense is used.

The Sunday Mass is a full bells&smells Mass, plus with wonderful Gregorian chant.
 
Back in the 40’s and 50’s we always removed the book before the priest incensed the altar. I thought it was probably a remainder from days when books were scarce; so the book was moved lest a stray ember damage it rather than for any liturgical purpose. I can’t think of any liturgical symbolism requiring its removal.
 
mardukm said:
I went to a Mass at the local Cathedral Church here in the Philippines, and I noticed something that I’ve never seen done at a Latin Mass.

The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.

Is this common in Latin Masses? Or maybe it is only done in cathedral churches? Or maybe it is only done in the Philippines?

Thank you for your answers.

Blessings,
Marduk
Click to expand...
This is rare to see in the ordinary form. I have seen religous priests, usually ad orientum masses, incense the Gospels.
 
Paxvobis said:
Whenever Incense is used in the TLM (except at Requiem Masses) the Gospel is supposed to be incensed before it is read. I’ve never seen the Gospel not incensed at High Mass.
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Exactly. Is there anywhere in Catholicism that incense is used at EVERY Mass. So reverent and wonderful. I hope someone has an answer. Thanks and God Bless
 
JerrySeibert said:
Exactly. Is there anywhere in Catholicism that incense is used at EVERY Mass. So reverent and wonderful. I hope someone has an answer. Thanks and God Bless
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Some of the very traditional-minded churches use incense at every Mass, or at least every Sunday Mass. The only one that I have been to that uses incense all the time is the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in La Crosse, WI.
 
JamestheOlder said:
If incense is used in the celebration of the Novus Ordo (Ordinary Form), the Gospel (book) is incensed. That is a normal procedure.

Why isn’t it done? “I don’t like the smell of incense.” “It’s too time-consuming to use incense”. are some of the common complaints. Some people seem truly to be allergic to the smell (of a variety of scents one may obtain), and one DRE whom I knew, had to leave Mass at the Easter Vigil for exactly that reason.

Prior to the 1960’s, when I attended the Tridentine Latin Mass (Extraordinary Form, today), the same reasons were used for/against the use of incense. The ONLY exception was the Solemn High Mass (Celebrant, Deacon, Sub-Deacon); incense was ALWAYS used.
Click to expand...
For the OF Mass, incense may be used at the beginning of Mass to incense the altar and crucifix, at the Gospel, at the offertory and at the major elevations. But each location is optional. A celebrant could choose to use incense only at the offertory for example and it would be perfectly licit.

With regard to the EF Mass, all High Masses and Pontifical High Masses require incense and the celebrant has no option where to use it.
 
thomas_jd said:
This is rare to see in the ordinary form. I have seen religous priests, usually ad orientum masses, incense the Gospels.
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The OF Mass actually specifies more places for incensing than a High/Pontifical High EF Mass.
 
mardukm said:
I went to a Mass at the local Cathedral Church here in the Philippines, and I noticed something that I’ve never seen done at a Latin Mass.

The priest waved incense over the Gospels before he read it.

Is this common in Latin Masses? Or maybe it is only done in cathedral churches? Or maybe it is only done in the Philippines?

Thank you for your answers.

Blessings,
Marduk
Click to expand...
It’s standard practice in the UK in all catholic churches at the main Sunday Mass, and also in High Anglican Churches too.
 
If I recall correctly, according to the Ordo Romanus primus (ca. 700-750), besides being carried in the entrance procession, incense was only used during the Gospel procession/proclamation.
 
liturgyluver said:
It’s standard practice in the UK in all catholic churches at the main Sunday Mass, and also in High Anglican Churches too.
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High Anglicans probably do use it; however, it is not used in all UK Catholic churches at the main Sunday Mass. In my experience, incense is, unfortunately, used rarely in Latin Catholic churches these days. I find it is the exception rather than the norm. In my own parish incense was hardly ever used until we got our current priest. I would not describe him as a traditionalist but he is very orthodox. He has restored the use of incense within our parish.
 
These days in my parish or shall I say years, one rarely ever sees a priest come out with the Thurible to incense the Altar or the Gospels. They’ve even stopped using incense at Funerals.

The reasoning…because many Catholics have health related breathing disabilities.
But these same people who complain still want to sit in the front pews.

So my parish has put a stop to incense use. I think its sad really to take away something beautifully symbolic.
 
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