Use of Incense in the Mass

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Flora14

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Hello everyone! I have a question regarding the use of incense in the Mass, according to both forms - ordinary & Latin.

Are there any rules that determine when incense can be used in the Mass? Is it reserved for certain days only, such as Solemnities?

I ask because I’m new to the Church but I’ve learned that in the Orthodox Chirch it is common practice to use incense during every Divine Liturgy. I think this is such a lovely practice and I wish us Catholics would use incense more, but I don’t know if there are rules about when it can be used.
 
In the Extra Ordinary form (the newer can be in the Latin Language, we are speaking of the Traditional Latin Mass to avoid confusion) it is only to be used at “high” Mass. That is the more solemn form of the sung mass (missa Cantata), and those more solemn than that… it doesn’t matter what day. It is not used for Low Masses (read not sung).

In the Ordinary form it can be used optionally at any Mass, I believe.
 
It is used when they christian a new alter, also at Adoration…
 
Thank you to all of you for your helpful answers! I really appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question 😊 Blessings.
 
In the 1950’s, our parish had one High Mass on Sunday, and no incense was used.

On the other hand, at our local Trappist abbey, every Sunday in the Ordinary Form, they use incense.
 
incense can be used at any mass, but generally isn’t and it isn’t required. Funeral masses and the main mass on Sunday morning is when you’ll see it most often.
 
Some churches use it only rarely because some of the parishioners are allergic to the smoke.
 
I am one of the parishioners allergic to the smoke. I wish I wasn’t. I love the smell.
 
There was a beautiful church in Manchester, New Hampshire that celebrated every mass in the ordinary form with incense (okay, technically, there were three masses on Sunday, two always used incense, one was a no incense mass). I miss that Church. The priest said his philosophy was that if you could see the altar there wasn’t enough incense.
 
There may be many levels of meaning to the use of incense. People might not hardly imagine why it was used in sacrifice to God.

I’ve heard one explanation that incense was burned in the Holy Place, before the Holy of Holies in the wilderness and Jerusalem temples: symbolically to overwhelm the stench of our sinfulness. Certainly not because it was “pretty.”

And, as you may rememberl from Exodus (as I recall) there was a formula to the incense, and no one could use that formula of incense for a profane purpose.

Christ is born in a stable or some place where there was certainly the smell of the animals, to reverse the significance, that he comes to remove the stench of our sins.
 
There was a beautiful church in Manchester, New Hampshire that celebrated every mass in the ordinary form with incense (okay, technically, there were three masses on Sunday, two always used incense, one was a no incense mass). I miss that Church. The priest said his philosophy was that if you could see the altar there wasn’t enough incense.
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I live in Manchester NH what church was it that you were at?
 
In my Church, which only celebrates the Ordinary Form, we use it on certain Solemnities, like Christmas, New Years Day, and Corpus Christi, just to name a few, as well as on days during the Easter Triduum. We use it when a bishop visits and for Confirmation masses. We also use it during funeral masses.
Likewise, every time there is adoration, when the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, we use incense. However, I’ve seen on a few rare occasions when there were no servers and nobody to help light the incense, that priest exposed the Blessed Sacrament without incense.

In response to your question, I think the answer remains largely up to the pastor and the celebrant, for incense is not required for most masses and celebrations. (I think the Easter Vigil requires incense to be used, but don’t quote me on this). We used to have a vicar who would always use incense on all solemnities and on a lot of feast days. I remember a server once told me that even on a regular weekday in Ordinary time, if he asked the vicar to do incense, the vicar would always reply yes. Now, our new pastor largely avoids the use of incense, even on solemnities.
 
Flora14 said:
Hello everyone! I have a question regarding the use of incense in the Mass, according to both forms - ordinary & Latin.

Are there any rules that determine when incense can be used in the Mass? Is it reserved for certain days only, such as Solemnities?

I ask because I’m new to the Church but I’ve learned that in the Orthodox Chirch it is common practice to use incense during every Divine Liturgy. I think this is such a lovely practice and I wish us Catholics would use incense more, but I don’t know if there are rules about when it can be used.
Click to expand...
Byzantine Rite Eastern Catholics have the same practice as the Eastern Orthodox. I don’t know when incense is permitted/not permitted in the west.
 
Mi_Rose said:
I am one of the parishioners allergic to the smoke. I wish I wasn’t. I love the smell.
Click to expand...
Same here.
I remember when I came into full communion at the Easter Vigil. I ended up with a awful migraine due to the incense, unfortunately. And since I was coming into full communion, I didn’t have the option of sitting in the back of the church
 
Any sung Mass should include the use of incense. As a definite asthmatic who growing up also thought myself to be “allergic” to smoke I have to say that complaints of “allergies” to incense as well as peoples’ fake coughs always heard the VERY second the thurible come out are ridiculous. Did these same people just used to never leave the house when people smoked everywhere? I definitely wasn’t couped up in the house all the time. Then again both incense and cigarettes these days are likely pumped full of more harmful chemicals that they never were years ago. Churches should only use high quality incense made with natural ingredients only; the same with candles. Candles should be 51% beeswax minimum or better yet 100% beeswax with absolutely no paraffin wax which is a byproduct of crude oil. Just the same, Mass wouldn’t be Mass without incense. The wood over the years in the building needs to soak up all that smoke or else the place won’t smell like a church.
 
Any sung Mass should include the use of incense. As a definite asthmatic who growing up also thought myself to be “allergic” to smoke I have to say that complaints of “allergies” to incense as well as peoples’ fake coughs always heard the VERY second the thurible come out are ridiculous. Did these same people just used to never leave the house when people smoked everywhere? I definitely wasn’t couped up in the house all the time. Then again both incense and cigarettes these days are likely pumped full of more harmful chemicals that they never were years ago. Churches should only use high quality incense made with completely natural ingredients; the same with candles. Candles should be 51% beeswax minimum or better yet 100% beeswax with absolutely no paraffin wax which is a byproduct of crude oil. Just the same, Mass wouldn’t be Mass without incense. The wood over the years in the building needs to soak up all that smoke or else the place won’t smell like a church.
 
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