Frankincense is extracted from the bark of trees; as it is dried and processed, it takes the round form that we know from religious practices. In modern pharmacology, frankincense is also used as a healing oil.
References in the ecclesiastical texts
Religious texts often refer to frankincense. The most well-known references are the following:
In the Old Testament
We find one of the earliest references to the ritual of frankincense in the Old Testament; it concerns Abel and Cain. The two brothers, sons of Adam and Eve, were commanded to offer sacrifice to God. Depending on the course that the smoke would take during the burning of the gifts, they could tell whether or not their sacrifice was accepted. Abel, who always offered his gifts with great gratitude and love to the Lord, watched the smoke gently rising straight up to heaven. In contrast, Cain, who attended the sacrifice as a formality, choosing the gifts indifferently and showing little devotion, saw the smoke scattered in the air.
Through this story, we find the first ritual of burning and offering the smoke of the gifts to God. Just as Abel and Cain were asked to sacrifice gifts through fire and purify themselves through the smoke that reached God, today the burning of frankincense constitutes a similar offering and shows dedication.
Gifts of the Magi
As recorded in the Gospel of Matthew, the Three Wise Men — the Magi, — who came to visit the newborn Jesus, brought gifts to the Divine Child. The Holy Gifts were gold, myrrh and frankincense. In particular, the frankincense was offered by the magi named Gaspar, and was a symbol of the divine nature and origin of Jesus Christ.
The Three Wise Men offered some of the most precious possessions they had. Thus, to them frankincense was an elegant and rich product, a symbol of purity and divinity.
In our prayer
Both in our daily prayers and during the Divine Liturgy, we chant as follows:
"Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."
Through these words we offer our prayer and our gifts to the Lord. We ask God to receive our prayer as the fragrant that rises from the censer to the icon. We raise our hands and offer the minimal material sacrifice we can make, like a gentle breeze that sweetens the space and transforms it into a place of prayer. It is a great verse that highlights both the beauty of incense and our need and longing to come closer to God.
When do we burn incense?
First, we burn incense during church services. Specifically, during the Divine Liturgy, from the beginning of the sacrament till the end of it. Furthermore, the priest chants:
"Incense we offer thee, O Christ our God, as an odor of spiritual fragrance. Receive it upon thy heavenly altar and send down in return upon us the gift of thine Holy Spirit."
In addition to the services and sacraments, each of us can burn incense at home. In fact, it constitutes an integral part of our morning and evening prayer.
What does frankincense symbolize?
Various theological interpretations have been attributed to frankincense:
- First, it is strongly connected with our prayers. It is a material symbol of our conversation with God, our petition to Him. It is a material hymn.
- Furthermore, it symbolizes a sacrifice and offering to the Lord. It is a precious and elegant element that we possess as human beings, and that we offer as a gift. After all, the burning of incense in the process of sacrifice was a common phenomenon since ancient times.
- Moreover, the incense symbolizes the divine grace that fills and transfigures the space, both during individual prayer and the divine services that take place in the church. We often see the believers bow before the priest who passes by incensing the space, as a sign of submission and acceptance of the divine grace that fills the atmosphere.
- Finally, tradition links the censer to the Mother of God, and the incense to Jesus. Inside her, Our Lady bears Christ, who fills the world with the fragrance of His divine grace, eradicating sin and sanctifying the world through His sacrifice. Accordingly, the censer encloses the fragrant incense which purifies men as it burns.
Why do we use frankincense?
To conclude, frankincense is a great addition that supports and beautifies our prayers with divine grace. We use it as a sacrifice, as a gift, but also as a blessing from God. It is our companion in our spiritual life. It gives fragrance to our prayers and transforms the space into a place of devotion.
How to use incense?
- First of all, one should choose the right censer, depending on one's needs. For example, there are different censers adapted to be used within the temple and different ones for home.
- Next, we'll need charcoal and frankincense. Regarding the latter, there are many different perfumes from which one can choose. Among others, there's frankincense with natural and floral fragrances such as rose, lavender, jasmine, and so on.
- Once we have all the above, we light the charcoal and place it inside the censer. We then place 2 or 3 grains of frankincense on the top (depending on the size of the grains).
- We move the censer making the symbol of the cross in front of the icons and in all rooms and spaces.
- We then let the incense burn until we have completed our prayers.
- Finally, it is advisable not to throw the ashes into the garbage can, but to return them to earth, possibly by throwing them into a flower pot or a garden.
In our online shop, you will find traditional products such as incense, charcoal, icons and handmade braided bracelets.
May the Lord, through the intercession of our Most Holy Lady Theotokos, bless you, your family and all your loved ones!
