Priesthood and Deacons
What is the censer, and why is incense used?
The censer is the vessel used to offer incense in Coptic worship. Incense is used because it is a biblical sign of prayer rising before God, reverence before holy things, and the Church's worship offered through Christ.
In the Coptic Church, incense belongs to the liturgical rite, especially Vespers, Matins, the Gospel procession, and the Divine Liturgy. The censer, its bells, its fragrance, and its movement all teach the body to pray with attention.
Biblical And Liturgical Meaning
The Old Testament root is clear. God commanded incense in the tabernacle, and the altar of incense stood within the holy pattern of worship. Incense was connected to priestly service, prayer, and reverence before the presence of God.
The Psalms interpret incense as prayer rising to God. Revelation also shows incense associated with the prayers of the saints. The Coptic Church receives this biblical language in her worship.
Let my prayer be set before You as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
Christ fulfills the incense because He is the true offering and the one Mediator who brings the prayers of His Church to the Father. The sweetness of incense points beyond itself to the acceptable offering of Christ.
How Incense Is Offered
In Coptic services, the priest places incense in the censer and offers it with prayers. The censer may pass before the altar, icons, Gospel, clergy, deacons, and people. The whole church is drawn into prayer.
The Church receives incense through Christ's priesthood, Cross, Resurrection, and heavenly intercession
When incense comes near you, a simple response is to bow your head and pray. You may ask God to receive your repentance and remember the Church, the sick, the departed, and those who asked for prayer.
If the incense is physically difficult for you, step back calmly or choose a place with better air. Reverence includes honesty about health while keeping respect for the rite.
- Coptic Rites (1): Raising of Incense, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Teaching slides on incense, prayer, liturgical order, and reverent participation.
- Coptic Rites (3): Liturgy of the Word, Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Southern United States. Teaching slides on the Pauline, Catholic Epistle, Praxis, Synaxarium, Gospel litany, Creed, and related rites.
- The Divine Liturgy of St. Basil, CopticChurch.net. Service text and introduction for the most commonly used Coptic Divine Liturgy.
Censer: The vessel that holds burning coal and incense during prayer. Its movement helps express prayer rising to God and reverence for the Gospel, altar, and people.
Incense: Fragrant offering used in worship as a biblical sign of prayer rising before God, especially around the altar, Gospel, icons, clergy, and faithful.
Vespers: The evening prayer service, often joined to the Raising of Incense, preparing the Church to enter the coming liturgical day in prayer.
Matins: The morning prayer service, often joined to the Raising of Incense before the Divine Liturgy on Sunday morning.
Divine Liturgy: The Church's central Eucharistic worship, where Scripture, Creed, offering, thanksgiving, consecration, and Communion are gathered into one prayer before God.
Altar: The holy table in the sanctuary where the Eucharistic gifts are offered and consecrated, treated with reverence as the center of liturgical worship.
Icon: A sacred image of Christ, St. Mary, an angel, a saint, or a holy event. In Coptic practice, church icons are consecrated with Holy Myron and are venerated, not worshiped.
Intercession: Prayer offered on behalf of another. The Church asks the saints to pray with and for us because they are alive in Christ.