Smell & The Incense

OBJECTIVE

We hope to teach children that the church is heaven on earth. The church engages all of our senses to help us feel that we are in heaven with God. Our sense of smell in church is very important. Throughout vespers, matins and the liturgy, the priest offers incense. We also have the offering of incense in all of the church sacraments. The smell of the incense helps us think of our need for God's mercy and of His infinite compassion in dying in order for us to be saved.

INTRODUCTION & HOOK - 10 Minutes

Inflate a balloon with helium with "prayers" written on it or have the kids write prayers on pieces of paper and put them in the balloon. Release the balloon and ask the kids: where is the balloon going?

The balloon is like the incense smoke coming up from the censer, taking our prayers up to God in heaven.

In the Coptic Orthodox Church, the priest offers incense in all of the church prayers and in all of the Sacraments, or Holy Mysteries. In offering incense, the priest is collecting the prayers of the people and offering them up to God. The smell of the incense helps us think of our need for God's mercy and of His infinite compassion in dying in order for us to be saved.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

Memory Verse
"Let my prayer be set before you as incense, the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice"
Psalm 140:2

This psalm is actually said inaudibly by the priest at the start of Vespers, the evening raising of incense.

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 25 Minutes

Old Testament

Incense played a very large role in Old Testament worship. The Lord commanded Moses to make an altar to burn incense on (Exodus 30:1) and gave specific instructions on how the incense was to be made and when it was to be offered.

New Testament

In the New Testament, the angel came to Zachariah while he was raising incense in the Temple, to announce to him the birth of John the Baptist. We also see that the three Magi bring frankincense as a gift to Christ at His birth. This symbolized His role as the great High Priest.

In the book of Revelation we read about the 24 priests who, "fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls of incense, which are the prayers of the saints" (Rev. 8:3,4).

Present-Day Use of Incense

In our worship today the priest raises incense in the evening during Vespers (during the doxologies), in the morning during Matins (during the doxologies), and during the Liturgy (after the Absolution of Ministers and during the hymns Taishori & The Hitens).

Trinitarian Theology in the Censer

The censer is usually made of brass or silver in the shape of a cup. This cup is suspended on three chains from which it can be swung during incensing. These three chains remind us of the Holy Trinity. The Father sent His Son. The Son obeyed the Father. The Holy Spirit came upon Virgin Mary for the incarnation of the Son.

Symbolism of St. Mary

The Golden Censer -- We call St. Mary "Ti Shori" which means "the Golden Censer" in Coptic, and is one of the Coptic hymns sung by the deacons in the Divine Liturgy. The Golden Censer is sometimes referred to as the "Censer of Aaron" (Numbers 16:46). Also, the coal in the Censer symbolizes the human nature of Christ, and fire symbolizes His divine nature. Saint Paul says, "Our God is a consuming fire" (Hebrews 12:29). The censer symbolizes the womb of Saint Mary, where our Lord Jesus Christ took flesh, uniting divinity with humanity in a great mystery. The censer being made of gold points to the greatness and the purity of the Virgin, and this is why we call her The Golden Censer in the hymns.

Inside the censer, the deacons put a lit charcoal, and then the priest puts incense on the charcoal. The censer with the coal burning with fire represents St. Mary carrying our Lord Jesus Christ as the Incarnate Son of God.

Smoke Like Rising Prayers

The smoke that rises from the burning of incense is like our prayers rising to God with our needs. The bishops or the priests are the only ones who can raise incense. People like you and me are not allowed to put incense in the censer.

Components of the censer:

Each component of the censer is symbolic of a belief of the Church:
- The upper dome represents heaven
- The lower dome represents the womb of St. Mary
- The coal represents Christ's Humanity
- The fire represents Christ's Divinity
- The incense on top of the coal is the aroma that we received when he represented Himself as a true Sacrifice, and we smelled him, as did His Good Father
- The three chains represent the Trinity, and are united by one chain in the Middle (the unity of the Trinity).

LIFE APPLICATION - 5 Minutes

When Abouna walks around with the censer in church, what should we be doing? Why are only the priests able to raise incense? Do you know stories from the Bible where someone who wasn't a priest raised incense?(Numbers 16)

During vespers (during the doxologies), matins (during the doxologies) and the liturgy (during Tai Shori and The Hitens), the priest goes around the entire church with the censer, offering incense. When the priest walks by, people bow and do the sign of the Cross. The original tradition of the church was to bow down and ask God for the forgiveness of our signs. Over time, people also started doing the sign of the cross. When we see our priest offering incense, we should bow our heads and you can make the sign of the cross if you like and ask God to forgive our sins.

It is also tradition that the people stand any time the priest offers incense. When the priest is offering incense, he is collecting the prayers of the people so the people stand up in prayer when the priest offers incense. When we see our priest offering incense, we should stand up to pray so our prayers can be lifted up to God.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

What should we do when the priest passes by with the censer?
How many chains are holding the cup of the censer?
What do these chains represent?
What does the upper dome represent?
What does the lower dome represent?
What does the burning charcoal represent?
Who can raise incense?

CONCLUSION - 10 Minute

Each instrument used in the church has a meaning and is intended to help us to come closer to God during our prayers. Seeing and smelling incense immediately puts us in a spiritual mindset. Our prayers and souls rise up to God in the heavens as the incense rises to the ceiling of the church.

Summary:

In the Old Testament they offered incense.
In the New Testament the angel came to Zachariah in the temple. He was burning incense. The Magi also offered incense to Christ.
We see incense in the Book of Revelation as there are 24 priests who constantly offer incense, the prayers of the saints, before the throne
In the Coptic church the priest raises incense during all prayers.
When the priest passes by with the censer, we can and should give prayers, receive blessings, and repent.
The three chains carrying the censer are the Holy Trinity. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
The censer with the coal means St. Mary. The coal is the divinity of Christ.
The smoke rises like our prayers to Heaven. Only the priest can raise incense.

ACTIVITY - 10 Minutes

Have the kids make their own censer with a paper cup, three pieces of string, and tape. Using foil, wrap it around the cup and string to make it look like it is made of metal. Add white tissue paper to represent the smoke taking our prayers up to heaven.
Show the children the censer and its different parts.
Have the class make incense. For this, you will need regular incense, essential oils (preferably myrrh), and powder, if possible.
Get the children to draw a censer or use the attached coloring sheet

Coptunes+ Video

Resources

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

Encourage parents to watch this video with their children: