Why does the Church use Incense?

Incense is mentioned throughout the Bible, and the tradition has continued in the Church to this day. Why?
LINKS:
An article that takes a deep dive and a more 'apologetics' look into the Early Church use of incense: orthodoxbridge.com/2013/01/25...
Article by Fr Stephen DeYoung "Sacrifice to End All Sacrifices", on what sacrifice is in Christianity: blogs.ancientfaith.com/wholec...
Another article by Fr Stephen DeYoung (he's good at this stuff) about incense particularly: blogs.ancientfaith.com/wholec...
Trisagion Films presents a 4 minute look at incense in the Orthodox Church, the symbolism, and the process of censing: • Let My Prayer Rise: Th...
A 2 minute intro by Orthodox priest Fr Timothy from Australia to incense and some symbolism of the censer/thurible: • Incense and Thuribles
Frederica Mathewes-Green introduces the Orthodox use of incense in a couple minutes: • Why Orthodox Use Incen...
Trisagion Films presents a 4 minute look at incense and the symbolism: • Let My Prayer Rise: Th...
A short article about incense: www.thegoodshepherd.org.au/in...
To learn more about Orthodoxy: www.orthodoxintro.org
Listen to the Orthodox hymn of 'Let my prayer arise', it's beautiful: • Let my prayer arise - ...
A good book to read is 'The Orthodox Church' by Timothy ( Metropolitan Kallistos) Ware
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[@masreshamohammeddawde5997]

As Ethiopian Orthodox Christian we use it a lot, we loved it so much. Thanks to God being Orthodox Christian. ‬

[@reeferfranklin]

Can I ask, as someone highly drawn to the Tewahedo faith, are there any particular ingredients unique to Ethiopian Orthodox incense mixes, as compared to simply frankincense & myrrh in a gold censor on a coal?

[@juancarlos-dy6ff]

In my country (Argentina) hippies normally use an incense called "palo santo" (holy stick). I am allergic to that smell. Like many types of incense, it's as if they were smoking in my face. When I went to a Divine Litugy for the first time, I was afraid that the incense would hurt me and I would start sneezing. But to my surprise it was completely harmless. it was like breathing fresh air.

[@l.elmo.di.scipio]

Hermano, qué placer saber que otro compatriota sigue estos canales. Soy católico romano, y me duele que sólo se use incienso para fechas especiales. Por mi parte, gusto de prender una varilla de buen incienso para rezar la Liturgia de las Horas! Ansío ir a una Liturgia de rito oriental pronto. A qué parroquia va Ud.? Bendiciones en Cristo Jesús

[@juancarlos-dy6ff]

@@l.elmo.di.scipio hola hno. Soy de Córdoba capital y voy a la iglesia ortodoxa griega San Juan el precursor:)

[@l.elmo.di.scipio]

@@juancarlos-dy6ff Dios mediante, un día los acompañaré, así como también a los fieles de la catedral melkita. Bendiciones!!

[@millier.206]

My husband isn’t orthodox and at times he’s very adverse to any spiritual conversations, but lately he’s been talking about how he loves the smell of incense in our home. I feel like this has been the easiest thing I could do to encourage him (and without even my own knowledge).

[@theemperorofindia1403]

So true about smells, I'm not yet a catechumen but I've attended several Orthodox services over the last 3 years and now whenever I'm out and about and I catch a bit of incense in the air I'm instantly taken back to those services, & it fills the heart!

[@akinyi5368]

I love being a Catholic Christian

[@billlee2194]

I just recently discovered Patristix. I like that the speaker is calm and instructive and that his videos are short. Thanks for putting these videos together.

[@Patristix]

Thank you so much for watching and for your kind words!

[@Jessica-gc2fj]

I love the smell of insense. It makes me feel really good. I feel so much peace 😊

[@masreshamohammeddawde5997]

As Ethiopian Orthodox Christian we use it a lot, we loved it so much. Thanks to God being Orthodox Christian. ‬ And pls do us a favor, we Ethiopian Orthodox christianity followers are wanting to awear you that we are under attack and killed by our own brutal dictator government. We really need the international Orthodox and rest of the fair community to hear and know about it and most importantly consider us in your prayers. #EthiopianOrthodoxChurchUnderAttack

[@leanna4170]

Yes! My son was telling me about this just a couple of days ago. Thank you for the reminder to pray for Ethiopian church.

[@Patristix]

You are all most definitely in our prayers

[@masreshamohammeddawde5997]

Thank you and God bless you all

[@opabinnier]

Dear brother-in-Christ, thank you for reminding me to honour my prayers by including our Ethiopian brothers and sisters! You have been Orthodox Christians for ever. (And I believe much incense comes from your area as well from the other side of rhe red sea.) God bless you and all the Ethiopian Church. Our Lord is a mighty stronghold.

[@timothydeneffe249]

This is the type of video i wish I had when i was trying to answer the simple questions my protestant peers were asking in the very beginning of looking into orhtodoxy. Often people don't have time to do the reading so these videos are golden.

[@colmwhateveryoulike3240]

During lockdowns, I was still somewhat between discerning Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy but desperate to be in Church. One Sunday after praying I went and sat in the one RC Church that was open but there was no priest, it was only open for prayer. I prayed for a while before walking up the road to the Greek Orthodox Church and knocking. My now Godmother opened the door and welcomed me in to Heaven itself. That was my immediate sense. And several signs occured that God only knew would strongly indicate His affirmation, including a sudden sense of Christ's presence, stronger than I had felt even the first time I had come to faith and He turned on a light in my head that healed my deepest wound - which I later discovered happened at the precise moment the priest had prayed over the bread and wine. But the least of these signs was that when the priest censed the icons and the Church and me, a voice resounded in my head over and over saying, "on earth as it is in Heaven" and I was reminded of the angel censing in Heaven in St John's revelation.

[@Patristix]

Thank you so much for sharing your story! God bless you!

[@shivabreathes]

Wonderful. Although nothing quite as dramatic as this happened to me, I also distinctly remember my first time in an Orthodox Church, and the smell of incense as well as the sight of the icons was definitely a big part of it.

[@txu9272]

There are four sense organs on the head: mouth, ear, eye and nose. We use mouth to worship, pray, share gospel and take communion, eye to read the bible to "look" upon God, ear to listen to His teaching ...... and nose to smell incense to feel His presence.

[@user-ip1gt3hw8m]

Aesthetics of this channel is amazing, well done

[@ronaldjohnknight]

As one of a traditional Latin Mass server in Malta 🇲🇹 we too love to put incense.

[@Patristix]

All servers agree on this! The more incense the better!

[@ronaldjohnknight]

@@Patristix Amen!!!

[@mrsnkg7904]

Thanks v much dear Brothers. Now I understand better, I'm going to use incense more often at my home ikon corner! Lord Jesus Christ Son of God have mercy on me a sinner 💖🙏

[@CaffeinatedCaramel]

One day I will go to an orthodox church and attend my first divine liturgy! This incense stuff makes me even more excited. It must smell heavenly!

[@WilliamDusing]

This is something I never really knew about. Thank you!

[@J0PHIEL]

As a Christian I have been wondering more about this, so this was very helpful, thank you.

[@coryrobert7305]

I'm a protestant on his way to the old church. While I haven't figured out if I'm going to be Catholic or Orthodox, these videos are a huge help to me and I thank you for putting all this time and effort into them. One thing I'm curious about is your language of sacrifice and I was curious if you have done a video on sacrifice in general? In most protestant traditions the only sacrifice that is talked about is Christs sacrifice and anything else is treated like heresy. I'm wondering how the early church viewed this idea of continuing sacrifice vs the protestant view that there is no sacrifice other than the cross

[@Patristix]

Thanks for the question! We've added a couple articles by Fr Stephen DeYoung (an Orthodox Bible scholar) into the video description that might help with the question. I believe the podcast 'Lord of Spirits' delves into sacrifice several times, as does Jonathan Pageau's 'The Symbolic World', both sources are helpful to look deeper into the Early Church/Orthodox understandings! Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

[@LMC444111]

As a traditional Catholic revert, I wish you well in your research.

[@neyneynanamo2071]

Look for the truth without pride and you will find it.

[@andys3035]

Malachi 1:11 is quoted in this video which talks about the Gentiles offering a pure offering and incense. That pure offering is the Eucharist which aside from Lutheranism or Anglicanism among Protestant churches is absent. I used to be evangelical and aside from the above mentioned, no Protestant churches fulfill this prophesy. God bless you on your journey. 🙏 ☦️

[@ryanpadgett2549]

Always great informative content Brother. I love incense and the awesome feeling of reverence it’s presence brings to the Liturgy.

[@ericnelson3021]

What a great episode. Thank you for this superb content. ☦️

[@Godisone88]

I love your channel. Very good explanation and not boring.

[@alsneed7941]

i love your videos brother, incense always reminds me of church you put it very beautifully

[@jrponce3732]

This is fantastic. I just discovered your channel and have been greatly blessed by your content.

[@Patristix]

Welcome to Patristix!

[@nkepahcollins2061]

Thanks so much , this really helped me understand. Blessed with all blessings.

[@marcusking4365]

Very well done! I really enjoyed this video. I like that you mainly use scriptures with some Church Fathers.

[@jkim7]

Great info. Thank you.

[@FatherAndTeacherTV]

Thank you for this video.

[@wemcal]

Great video and wonderful information

[@tazzywazzy7599]

I love presentations 👍

[@johanvandersandt8904]

As an Pentecostal Christian I have never smelled it nor seen it used in any of our churches. 🤔 I wonder why it is not used by us today...

[@lindaphillips4646]

Keep asking such questions. I think you are on your way.. Don't be afraid of the answers. You are seeking TRUTH..

[@lionheart1975]

I am Pentecostal in my leaning. I have been told it’s considered witchcraft. But I disagree with this simply because this goes to the being of our faith. I smell it and I immediately become aware of the presence of God. In accompanying the movement of the Holy Spirit.

[@johanvandersandt8904]

Yeah, same brother. How can it be witchcraft....

[@prabhakarmetri6371]

Thank you so much Explanation.

[@petrut.1224]

The smell is the most powerful sense when it comes to triggering memories or experiences, not the seeing or hearing. And it's used in many other religions, using different recipes and resins.

[@marcokite]

great video - exactly the same at the Catholic Traditional Latin Mass

[@Okie89]

Thought you were in Red Foreman's basement for a sec

[@ulenmichael4563]

I understand. Thanks...👏

[@booklassygarrahan3929]

I only knew a small bit of this.

[@Saints_ravenfortheRainbow]

The owner of the house is my aunt and she can't stand incense. She won't let me burn it and she said she coughed in church. She really has dark spirits. She won't get the house fixed either. Praying to God

[@henridib7222]

Great video, I hope you didn't suffocate.

[@nicholasmaras4208]

I really enjoy your content, but I cant be the only one wondering how I get one of those mugs.

[@Patristix]

It's available with a donation here! ko-fi.com/s/850e63b0cd (and features a quote on the other side)

[@rbbiefah]

the incense that pleases the nostrils of God is our burning longing for him and the fragrance of our devotion that wafts out of our hearts up to the Lord --so keep your love for God burning bright

[@user-uv9fz5rw4z]

I’m a Lutheran, and incense is used occasionally in my experience. I wish it were used more. I once heard a pastor talk about incense, and he took it a step further - we know God loves incense and prescribes it in worship her and in eternity. But why? It’s because incense is the smell of His Son. Jesus was buried in pounds of incense. It’s the smell of His sacrifice, and therefore the one thing that is most pleasing to the Father. It’s also why it’s mostly used in those points of the liturgy where Christ comes to be present - the reading of the Gospel, the consecration of the Eucharistic elements, etc. It’s His fragrance, and He is there. The Lord’s blessing and grace to all who read this.

[@ChrisTyson-up8jv]

In the spiritual churches in the Caribbean we burn stick incense and church incense 🙏🏽🙏🏽🙏🏽when we giving praises to god almighty

[@LeutherGreengager-ip1uw]

Superlative. ☦️

[@henridib7222]

It smells good.

[@davidbolt9566]

What exactly would the difference between between sacrifice of praise and veneration given to saints? If sacrifice is unto God alone as adoration, how then can we praise saints without offering them praise as sacrifice? This seems like it would be a fairly important distinction.

[@Patristix]

We have a separate video on this channel about "talking to saints" that might help. Links in that description will add explanation to the Early Church understandings of veneration. Also do visit an Orthodox Church and ask these questions of a priest there. God bless!

[@melvayaredaguilar]

it smells really good

[@antifa86i35]

I always thought that it is the replesmant of burning sacifice animals...

[@TheManofsorrows]

So why other churches don’t use it?

[@OptimusPrimeStralgorithm]

❤💛💚

[@feeble_stirrings]

Love me some incense!

[@robbyburnpipe7840]

Wait. Why do I smelled incense while watching this???? Freak me out a little bit. 😮

[@joshuacherian6718]

Incense is for the church what perfume does to yourselves... ☦️

[@TheManofsorrows]

Not even the Roman Catholic Church uses incense anymore

[@Eufrat93]

the best smell inn the world

[@posavka]

Growing up I’ve always loved the smell of incense 🤍