On the importance of aromas in Christian worship. The Importance of Smells in the Spiritual and Church Life of People
The smell of incense is known to everyone who has ever been to church.
It is this soothing aroma, coupled with atmospheric architecture and dim candlelight, that helps one to abandon worldly problems and immerse oneself in prayer to God.
And it is with its help that incense is carried out, when the fragrance can be felt many times stronger. So what is this substance?
What is incense
Frankincense is the resin of the Lebanese cedar. This is a very rare type of tree, which can only be found in Africa, India or Arabia. In other areas, the tree does not grow and does not take root, despite numerous attempts by researchers to spread the cedar. Due to the fact that a tree can only grow under certain conditions, it is listed in the Red Book. In addition, cedar does not give so much resin, so real incense is quite difficult to find; substitutes are often used instead.
One of the plants that make up the substitute is the Indian red pear, whose resin has a scent similar to frankincense, but is much easier to obtain. Besides India, the pear also grows in China and Vietnam.
Real incense is known both in Europe and in Arab countries, but it has different names. So, the British gave him the name "incense of the Franks", as they learned the substance from the French. The Arabs call it milk, having found the external resemblance of the juice flowing from the tree to this drink. The Latin name for aromatic resin sounds like olibanum, as it is called in Russia.
Frankincense composition and properties
Frankincense includes many components, but of which one can distinguish three main:
- vegetable boswellic acid, which is the main constituent of the resin;
- sap of the bark of a tree called gum or gum;
- aromatic hydrocarbons found in essential oils.
Thanks to such components, olibanum only partially soluble in water, forming a cloudy emulsion. Prolonged heating leads to a softening of the substance, which then ignites with the formation of a thick, pleasant odor. Antidepressant effects of smoke on the nervous system is largely determined by the presence of Incensol acetate in its composition. This substance can even lead a person into a state of euphoria.
Resin grades
Real incense can be obtained only in the places where the Lebanese cedar grows. It is highly prized as a single tree can produce no more than 400 grams of resin at a time. But if you collect olibanum from all growing cedars, you can get up to several thousand tons of incense per year.
Of all the countries where cedar grows, Somalia is the leader in the amount of incense produced. The plantations of this African country account for more than 80% of the harvested resin. This is due to the fact that Somalia has the most favorable conditions for tree growth.
Frankincense production begins with the collection of the resin. This process has been known for many millennia and does not represent anything complicated. The main thing is to collect before the rainy season begins.
At the end of February and the beginning of March, there is a period of active pouring of sap inside the tree. At this time, deep cuts are made on adult cedars, from which a milky liquid flows out.
This liquid is allowed time to drain as much as possible and harden. The resulting substance thickly covers the trunk of the tree and the place under it.
When collecting, the resin is broken into pieces, different in color and density, up to 10 mm in diameter. Because of this, olibanum is divided into varieties not only depending on the deposit, but also on which pieces of resin were used in the production. There are two varieties.
- Selected incense... It is a transparent shiny oval pieces. They can be white, yellow or pink. If you rub them together, light dust will appear on the surface. Selected olibanum is soft enough, it can be ground into powder, which immediately begins to exude a tart odor.
- Normal... All parts of the resin that cannot be classified as selective are included in this grade. They are dark in color and contain many side inclusions in the form of crustal or earth particles.
How incense began to be used
How it smells and what incense is, people learned long before the beginning of our era. The incense was actively sold in Phenicia and was valued so much that people lined up for it.
In religion
As incense is used now, for religious rituals, it was also used then, at the dawn of our era. The use of incense was found in the rituals of different religions.
In mystical rites
It was believed that incense has the ability to protect a person and his house from evil spirits. His incense in the room increased the positive energy in the dwelling and expelled everything bad from it, so they did not move into the new house until it was purified with incense smoke.
People believed that the valuable resin brings health not only to people, but also to pets. With its help, they protected property from theft, and themselves from witchcraft and damage.
In addition, a small piece of olibanum was sewn into a bag and used as a talisman. This protected travelers on a long journey and helped in important matters.
In medicine
Even in Ancient Egypt, olibanum began to be used for medicinal purposes. With its help, they not only expelled demons from people, but also cured very real mental disorders. The scent soothed the sick, eliminated anxiety, and helped fight insomnia. In rare cases, doctors insisted on taking olibanum for the treatment of internal organs.
On the basis of incense, ointments and rubbing were made. The healing power of the resin has been used to heal joints and cleanse the skin. Thanks to the latter, Egyptians made masks from incense that have a rejuvenating effect.
Photos of incense, its use
Modern research on beneficial properties
It was not in vain that ancient healers included incense in the arsenal of medicinal preparations. Scientific studies have confirmed the benefits of Lebanese cedar resin. Modern doctors know the following about the benefits of incense:
All these healing properties are provided by the chemical elements that make up olibanum. With the correct preparation of a recipe, which includes not only resin, but also other useful components, you can get a very strong remedy.
Application today
In the modern world, incense has found its use due to the properties described above. There are several areas in which it has been used successfully to this day.
Perfumery and cosmetology
The sweet scent that powdered incense has is used in perfumery. One of its valuable properties is compatibility with other fragrances, which allows you to create a beautiful perfume composition with oriental notes.
Olibanum essential oil, which is a concentrate of all useful components of this resin, participates in the processes of skin regeneration, heals wounds, and has a tonic effect. In addition, it has a beneficial effect on hormones and the acceleration of metabolism.
Homeopathic remedies
In alternative medicine, the resin of the Indian tree is mainly used. Homeopathic remedies for pain relief and wound healing contain incense extract. On its basis, tinctures are also prepared, which are recommended for patients to use for gynecological diseases, diseases of blood vessels and body tissues. Resin helps to maintain the health of skin, hair, teeth. A patch with the addition of incense is used by homeopaths to treat joints, purulent diseases, and stop bleeding.
Church rites
No matter how many ways this wonderful substance is used, the most common is church incense. For what incense is used in the church, every parishioner knows from his own experience. The fragrant smoke soothes the senses, helps to focus on the service, carries prayers and requests straight to God.
But, besides this, it also brings quite physical benefits. A lot of people come to the church, so the House of God just needs to purify the air. The antiseptic and bactericidal properties of incense help to freshen the air space and protect it from infections.
Church incense is made in monasteries. The most common products are the products of the monasteries of Athos and Jerusalem. Incense granules are subdivided into grades depending on the composition, qualitative and quantitative content of impurities. In addition, each type of incense has its own purpose, according to the purposes of use, it is divided into the following varieties:
- Tsarsky, has the highest quality and price, is used in services for important events.
- The altar one is slightly inferior to the royal one in quality and is used for daily incense.
- The cell was mainly used in the dwellings of monks, sometimes it is also used in temples, but this usually happens during fasting.
Home use
If you want to purify the air and feel the aroma of incense at home, incense can be bought at any church shop. To burn incense, you need a katsea, which will make the process safe. It has the same principle of operation as the church censer, but is smaller. A piece of incense is placed in it, which is set on fire and immediately begins to emit fragrant smoke.
The incense must be carried around the entire perimeter of the house, starting from the front door. According to the rules, you need to move clockwise and do not forget to baptize the doors and corners. Censing should be accompanied by the prayer "Our Father".
During the entire process, the vents in the house must be open. The emitted smoke has a very strong odor; it will be difficult to carry it in an enclosed space.
If done correctly, the scent of incense will help bring peace and tranquility to the house, calm your nerves, and lift your spirits. It attunes a person to prayer and heals the body. Purification of the air is accompanied by the purification of thoughts and feelings, which leads not only to bodily but also mental health.
The Byzantine liturgical canon includes an important element - smells. Unlike other components of the canonical system, aromatization, its principles and ideology have changed very little throughout the history of the church. In fact, modern Orthodox churches use them in the same way as at the beginning of the history of Christianity.
Before considering the olfactory ( odor-related) aspects of the Christian cult, it is necessary to characterize the ones used in it aromatic substances... In fact, there are not so many scents in the church.
1. Incense (in Hebrew - lot) - aromatic wood resin ( fragrant tree sap, air-hardening). Collected from the plant cystus croticus (Boswellia, Burzer family) - a thorny tree that grows on about. Cyprus, Arabia, Syria, Palestine. One of the oldest incense, it is also used in perfumery. In ancient times, it was considered one of the most valuable gifts that were presented to kings and nobles as a sign of special reverence: the offering of incense to the baby Jesus by the magi, along with gold and peace, is evidence of recognition of his royal dignity (Matt. 2:11). Used for incense in the temples of various pagan religions. The first Christians used incense when conducting rituals of burying the dead ( according to Tertullian's testimony). It is currently mined mainly in India. Frankincense is mainly used for burning incense in liturgical ceremonies. Frankincense with additional aromatic additives is called incense... It must be assumed that censing in modern churches is carried out precisely with the use of various incenses.
Incense
2. Miro- aromatic oil used in the sacrament of anointing. According to Old Testament regulations (Exodus, 30, 23-25), it was composed of self-flowing myrrh, fragrant cinnamon, fragrant reed (calamus), cassia and olive oil. In the modern Orthodox Church, myrrh includes about 50 components. World-making is carried out by the highest hierarchy in the Great Four and spreads to all dioceses. Confirmation is a sacrament in which the gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to the believer by bringing peace to various parts of the body. The anointing with holy myrrh is used in the consecration of temples.
Ingredients for the world
3. Lamp oil (spruce)- vegetable (primarily olive) oil, which is used for burning in lamps and for anointing believers. May contain aromatic additives (eg rose oil).
Lamp oil
4. Wax candles- a source of faint honey odor. Made from beeswax, Japanese, Chinese, carnauba wax. Beeswax candles burn longer and brighter than paraffin wax candles and are preferred by connoisseurs because they are natural.
Wax candle
5. Other fragrances are not strictly regulated. For example, it can be added hyssop(hyssopus officinalis) in holy water for sprinkling. In festive rituals, there are smells of fresh flowers (for example, for the Assumption of the Virgin), branches of trees and grass (for Trinity), etc.
Hyssop
We must also not forget about the fragrance of the holy gifts- in essence, the most important church aroma.
The Christian cult system is designed in such a way that it influences all human senses.
The semantic meaning of smells in the church
At all times, the air of the church has been a specific beauty of the ministry. Incense, having gone from the Old to the New Testament, has not lost its most important role in the spiritual life of the world.
As already noted, the smells of the church are, first of all, the fragrance of the Holy Gifts, incense incense, the aromas of myrrh, oil, candles, scented water, and living plants. Some of these scents are canonized, others are not, however, even if there are no unambiguous characteristics of aromatic substances in the church system, tradition regulates the use of certain odorous substances at the level of the senses. It would never occur to anyone to use strong, pungent odors that are in conflict with others.
It should be noted in the church smells of icons... Applying to the icon, you feel its specific pleasant aroma. It is pleasant not only because the icon painters used natural paints, the best types of wood and linseed oil, which covers the entire space of the icon. The smell of the icon is pleasant, since it is close to the liturgical ritual and incense. The icon not only exudes a fragrance. The icon breathes the air of the church together with the faithful. The icon lives on. It seems that our gifts, brought to God, stand with us - transitory and fleshly. These gifts take on fragrances, thereby creating universal unity. The fragrances of icons invite a person to sanctify his life, to start living from the beginning.
Man accepts the heavenly presence with all his senses. God participates in the person who sacrifices from the excess of his love in taste and smell. The sense of smell is " which shows our thought directed towards Him and our disposition, due to the fact that through this feeling we have a perception of fragrance", Says St. John Damascene. The fragrances symbolize the various gifts of the Holy Spirit.
« When we smell, we make the most direct contact with the world around us ..., - writes the American odorologist R. Wright, - a more direct connection with the environment is difficult even to imagine«.
« Next to the olfactory brain is the limbic system, which is responsible for our emotions. That's why all smells are emotionally colored, all cause in us certain emotional experiences, pleasant or unpleasant, there are no “indifferent” smells ... It is smells that most quickly awaken memory, and not logical, but emotional»[Ryazantsev S. In the world of smells and sounds. - M., 1977. - S. 195].
The meaning of incense in the symbolism of Divine services
The smoking of incense, incense is the oldest form of sacrifice to God.... Incense was placed on hot coals, and their smoke went under the dome of the temple or into the sky, carrying away with the aroma of incense all the requests of a person, tears, prayers and gratitude to God.
« We bring the smoke of incense to You, O Christ our God, as the aroma of a spiritual scent, having received it into Your Altar, which is above all heavens, bestowed upon us the grace of Your Most Holy Spirit"- this is how, translated into Russian, a prayer sounds, which any priest must read before each censing in the church.
According to the ancient Russian tradition, the priest, while censing the people with the help of a special metal censer on chains, quietly says: “ The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you“, And the laity mentally answer:“ The same Spirit helps us all the days of our life (i.e. our life)«.
Here we see how important the Church of Christ attaches to censing, as a symbol of the power of the Holy Spirit that revives us and constantly helps us, One of the Hypostases of the Holy Trinity.
The scent of incense permeates everything that surrounds it: walls, shrines, the robes of priests. The fragrance seems to be absorbed into the psalmody and prayer. This is the manifestation of the words: “ I am everything and everything«. Fragrance is a state of heaven. This is especially evident in the incense ritual and is well understood by theologians. " The deacon censes everything in order, not just burning incense, but capturing and sanctifying everything and through prayer bringing and uplifting it to Christ with a prayer that the censer will be accepted and may the grace of the All-Holy Spirit be sent down to us.", - says Bl. Simeon Solunsky.
Actually, the canonical text of the Liturgy speaks about this. At the end of the proskomedia there are the words: “ We bring you a censer, O Christ our God, in the stench of a spiritual scent, a hedgehog reception in Thy heavenly altar, send us the grace of Thy Holy Spirit».
From the photo album of Priest Konstantin Parkhomenko
There are other semantic shades of incense. For example, censing during the reading of the Apostle "is established as a sign of reverence for the forthcoming reading of the Gospel and indicates that through the preaching of the Gospel grace of the Holy Spirit, spreading to all ends of the world, enveloped the hearts of people and turned them to Eternal Life."
Or in the prayer for the consecration of fragrant potions it is said: “ Fill their houses with all kinds of incense, in this hedgehog and all those who howl I keep, and those who burn them in observance, and I will deliver from all the enemy's incantations", - i.e. accentuated the value of censer smoke as a means of fighting evil spirits.
Censing is extremely important in the symbolism of the Liturgy. According to N. Gogol: “.. . as in the life of the home of all ancient eastern peoples, they were offered to every guest at the entrance of ablution and incense. This custom passed entirely to the heavenly feast - to the Last Supper, which bears the name of the liturgy, in which service to God is so miraculously combined with the friendly treat of everyone ...". You can also quote the words from the sermon of Pope John Paul II during the Coptic liturgy of the “incense prayer”: “ the rising waves of censer smoke, like a human spirit, ascends to heaven, a spirit bursting out of everyday life, in the hope of knowing the meaning of its existence and merging with God.<…>Waves of incense, relentlessly flying into the sky, carry along with them our prayer to God, emanating from the very depths of our hearts. Incense accompanies the raising of hands to heaven, expressing our thirst for God and at the same time calling on Him to look upon people and things, desires and aspirations».
Svmch. Seraphim Zvezdinsky discusses smells in an even more sublime way, considering the Liturgy itself as an image of the Divine aroma: “... women who followed Christ - Mary Magdalene, Salome and others - after the burial of Christ the Savior, prepared aromas in order to anoint the Most Pure Body of the Lord the next day. My friends, my beloved, my flock, these scents have survived to this day, we smell their fragrance, we experience their comforting power; these aromas are Divine, secret, great, wonderful, beautiful, healing, revitalizing, most precious, holy Liturgy. These are the aromas that the first followers of the Lord gave us ... If it were not for this gift, we would have perished in this world full of impurities and all kinds of filth, we would have rotted alive in it, suffocated in malice».
Repetitive small and great incense begins in the Holy of Holies - the altar of the church. Rising under the dome, mixing during the morning reading of psalms with the rays of the rising sun, and at the evening service gliding past the icon lamps and burning candles, the fragrant smoke of the censer turns the church into an image of the lost earthly Paradise. Paradise is lost, but the fragrance reminds of heavenly.
Indeed, Christian worship is saturated with fragrances. As Fr. P. Florensky: “ Smells permeate the entire organism, it floats in them, they flow and stream through it, as through a stretched muslin, the flow of air and the spiritual quality of the smell is then indisputable and obvious. And from these "ordinary" smells, like, for example, mint, incense, rose and so on, there is a direct transition to mysterious fragrances, in which their spirituality appears already for all consciousness. This is the well-known fragrance of the saints ...«.
If we delve deeper into the texts of the Old Testament, we will find that the meaning of sacrifice in the Pentateuch looks exactly like creating a special kind of smell. " Offer it for a sweet scent, as a sacrifice to the Lord"[Ref. 29.41]. "On it Aaron will smoke fragrant incense"[Ref. 30.7]. “Take for yourself the best fragrant substances ... This will be ointment for the sacred anointing"[Ref. 30,23-25], - we read in the book "Exodus". This is the very heart of worship. Similar definitions are found everywhere when it comes to sacrifice.
As you know, Catholics have reduced the use of aromatic substances in their worship, and Protestants have practically excluded them from their everyday life. The reason for this, presumably, is that the rationalization of religion in the West makes the forms of sensory influence irrelevant (the logic of the transformation of the musical and cult canon testifies to the same), and this, in turn, distracts attention from them in theological practice as well.
Due to the fact that Christian odorology (the science of odors) is poorly developed, today we only know the basic substances (and even then not in full measure) that are used in worship. So far, neither the reasons for the selection of these particular substances, nor the principles of their compatibility, nor the relationship with other canonical means in the process of service are clear.<…>
The value of fragrances for God and man
The value of aromatic products is extremely high. Let us recall that the wise men bring gifts to the baby Jesus, where there are incense - incense and myrrh - along with gold.
It is quite clear that the aroma carries a certain superphysical meaning for the Christian.
The Bible contains a long list of aromatic substances used for burnt offerings. Among them, besides incense, are onikha, stakti, halvan and others. Obviously, this is not just an optional additive that can be neglected.
Who are these fragrances for: for God or for man? This is not an idle question. If the substance of fire or censer smoke is transformed into spiritual power and can be understood as a transformation into the physical plane of Divine power, then the smell as such is more difficult to interpret in this way.
Perhaps one can get closer to understanding this issue by paying attention to the fact that the grain sacrifice has a different name - offertory... In this regard, the Agad (part of the Talmud) contains the following reasoning: “ Why does the law on gift-giving, in contrast to sacrifices, say “soul” (instead of the usual “person”). Because: “By whom,” the Lord said, “is the gift usually performed? Poor man. And this is as valuable to Me as if He sacrificed His soul to Me"[Haggadah, p. 176]. In this case, we can assume that the combination of flour, oil and incense should be understood as the transformation of the soul that is burned for the Lord... Obviously, the smell of incense contains something that expresses a connection with spiritual purity, holiness. How else to explain that one of the main signs of a person's holiness before the Lord is the fragrance of holy relics?
Thus, the aroma, apparently, should be understood as a testimony equally carried out for the Lord and for the people standing before Him, like fire and incense smoke.
On the intolerance of the smell of the Church
— "Oh, you know, but I can't go to church at all!" - an agitated woman in her 30s complains , - “I immediately faint from the smell of incense. As soon as the incense smoke reaches me, it immediately becomes bad!»
The women of different ages present during the conversation nod sympathetically, and only one, a parishioner of a well-known monastery compound in the city, solemnly says, looking somewhere to the side with a clear sense of superiority: “ She needs a report! It is known who is afraid of incense!«
Why do people who consider themselves Orthodox sometimes do not tolerate the smell of incense, sometimes they even faint? Probably, the reasons should be looked for in the following:
1. The intensity of the spiritual influence of the atmosphere of the Church is such that without habit (and most often people who rarely visit the Church fall into swoon) a person, especially sensitive, can find it difficult to withstand it physically.
2. A person may not be aware, but his mental structure, determined by passions, may be in such contradiction with the value system of the Church that a conflict arises, and by opening himself to church influence, a person receives disharmony, which externally manifests itself as a reaction to a smell.
As a person develops spiritually in the direction of church values, this reaction disappears.
The material is based on the book Andrey Lesovichenko, prot. Sebastian Lycan "The Smells of Christian Worship"
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The following types of incense are used in temples:
Spruce- oil (usually olive) for anointing during the Sacrament of Unction.
Miro- aromatic oil with the addition of aromatic herbs.
Myrrh (Smyrna)- hardened resin of the bark of a tree of the Burzer family.
Incense- the hardened resin of the Boswellia tree.
There is a separate article about incense. This article will focus on aroma oils.
Types of church oils
All the aromas from the church shop have a pleasant, persistent, but unobtrusive scent. The aromas are so harmonious that they not only do not distract from important thoughts, but also do not violate someone else's personal space.
There are fragrances with floral names, as if the producers remind us of the diversity of our flora: Lily of the Valley, Gardenia, Linden Blossom. There are fragrances with the names of holy places: Byzantium, Athos, Jerusalem. The names of the oils also mention the church holidays "Trinity", "Rozhdestvenskoe", "Easter". There are also scents with “fantasy” names such as “Paradise bouquet”, etc.
Priest Evgeny Stupitsky:
“Orthodoxy is sympathetic to the use of spirits. It all depends on the purpose for which you will use this perfume. It's one thing to seduce and attract another individual of the opposite sex, another thing to exude a delicate aroma, to be pleasant for your beloved spouse. And this is your choice: to become the object of temptation, using perfume, or not. To become an adversary to God, or to be with Him together ... "
"Linden blossom" exudes the honey scent of linden;
"Lily of the valley" - has the typical scent of May lily of the valley. It is very similar to the famous “Silver Lily of the Valley” perfume from the Novaya Zarya factory;
"Strawberry" smells like fragrant forest berries;
"Byzantium" wraps up in warm incense smoke;
"Altai" oil with a herbal-balsamic accent;
"Needles" has a woody-resinous aroma.
Application
Like perfume on your skin
If incense is used as a perfume, then it is applied to the "pulse points" - behind the ears, neck, wrists. It should be remembered that oil is consecrated and therefore cannot be used for worldly purposes.
Fortunately, the clergy are tolerant of the aromas of the parishioners.
Archpriest Viacheslav Bregeda:
“The Scriptures say,“ Saturday is for man, not man for the Sabbath. ” So it is the rules for the person, and not the person for the rules. As for the spirits, you shouldn't dwell here on the fact that this is such a terrible sin. Even in the Holy Scripture it is written, “that if we fast, then we did not seem to be fasting, on the contrary, smear your body” so that you do not feel that you are in such despondency. That is, even the Holy Scripture says that a person should take care of his appearance, look good and beautiful, not be somehow obsessed ... "
In lamp oil or icons
In church shops, candlesticks also mention such a method as sprinkling icons with this fragrant oil, as well as adding it to lamp oil to scent the premises.
How to choose and light a lamp, read the article.
Prayer for sore spots
Some grandmothers add oil to holy water, but most likely this is not recommended, since the oil, although natural, is still not an oral medicine.
As oil
Olive oil is called oil, and now any vegetable oil that is used in Orthodox church life. The priests anoint the parishioners with it at morning and evening services.
It is possible to use church incense at home during prayer to prepare your thoughts and feelings for turning to God. If church oil is used as oil, then it should be applied on the body in a cruciform manner with reverence and prayer (preferably: "Our Father..."). The oil must be applied with clean hands or using a cotton swab.
In aroma lamps
Many people use oils in aroma lamps to create a "cosiness and warmth" scent at home.
Archimandrite Alipy (Svetlichny):
“The Church has not usurped the ownership of certain scents. People can light lamps, burn incense in their home, so that the whole family can tune in to prayer, because a family is a small Church. And if one of the perfumers uses incense and other scents that we hear in the Church in their works, then there is nothing wrong with that. The smells themselves are not endowed with a sacred meaning, but in what conditions and for what they are used ... "
An aromolamp is an earthen or ceramic vessel with a bowl - an aroma-burner and a hollow under it for a candle. Water is poured into a bowl, to which a few drops of aromatic oil are added. The incense should not be used without water, as the oil can easily catch fire when exposed to an open flame.
Use a household paraffin or stearic candle. Then it is not so easy to remove such a melted candle, but you can first grease the "window" for the candle with Vaseline and when the candle breaks up and hardens, it is easy to remove it.
Our store sells church incense from Russia and Greece. It contains only natural components. Incense is consecrated.
The temple is a special place. You can come there just like that, in order to pray in silence and solitude. Break out of our noisy world with its endless rush and bustle. Pray in front of the icons, put candles. In general, at least for a few minutes get rid of vanity. And to catch a familiar and some nagging smell. What does the old church smell like?
Frankincense accompanies service
What it is? Incense for burning incense at divine services. And one of the little answers to the question of what the church smells like. Frankincense is an aromatic tree resin.
Types of incense
There are several types of this incense:
Arabian incense. It is also called the present. It grows, respectively, in Arabia.
Somali incense. It has two more names - Abyssinian and African. The roots lie in Ethiopia and Somalia.
Indian incense. It grows, as the name suggests, in India. And also in Persia.
What does he look like
This scented resin is in the form of solid droplets. They all vary in size, yellow and translucent.
Smell
The church smells of incense, and this is not surprising. For he takes part in all church services. Drinking without incense is impossible. And what is his smell? Frankincense aroma is sweet, with little lemon "accents".
Candle
Candles are one of the constant "companions" of divine services. And they are not only assistants in the service. When people come to church, first of all, they acquire a candle to put it in front of the icon. Therefore, you can safely add the smell of candles to the smell of incense when thoughts come to mind about what smells like in the church.
Types of candles
Church candles are of two types - wax and with an admixture of ceresin. Ceresin is not a pure wax, but a waxy substance with various impurities. And what is the difference between these candles? And this is described in detail in the next subsection.
Wax candle
What does the church smell like, which candles emit a delicate and pleasant aroma that you want to inhale again and again? Wax, of course. Wax is considered the purest substance. A candle is a small sacrifice to God from a person. Is it possible to sacrifice something bad to God? No, He is supposed to give the best. And not as in the well-known proverb to all of us: "On you, God, what is worthless for me." And this attitude towards the Creator is fundamentally wrong. He does not forget to take care of us: he wakes us up in the morning, allowing us to see a new day, responds to our requests, helps and does not leave us in grief. Why aren't we trying to give Him the best?
Okay, let's leave the lyrics. Everything that is purest to God is always the truth established from antiquity. Pure incense for worship, pure candles, pure oil. In general, all the best. Other candles contain impurities, they cannot be called pure. In addition to religious motivation, there is also a purely everyday one. The wax does not pollute the air, a pleasant aroma emanates from it, and most importantly, it does not smoke to such an extent that it spoils the temple frescoes and icons.
The candle is a symbol of the burning of human souls with faith. The symbol of the fire of the soul. A visible sacrifice to God from His sinful servants. Some might say that a wax candle is not cheap. Can a sacrifice be cheap? It is done from the heart. When a person does something from the heart, wants to give a wonderful gift to a loved one, for example, he does not consider the costs. A candle is an order of magnitude cheaper than some kind of decoration for a loved one.
Ceresin candles
Unlike wax, they are composed of a waxy substance. And they are not clean. And due to the fact that ceresin candles are a storehouse of impurities, they are also not very useful for use.
Why are such candles so bad? First, they smell bad. And if now, answering the question "what does the church smell like?", Only pleasant smells are remembered, then after dealing with "fakes" - candles they will disappear. And this is just the minimum of troubles. The worst thing is that these candles smoke heavily. And thus they spoil the beautiful temple painting, pollute the icons.
Yes, they are cheap. But the quality is poor. Why are they being sold, another person will ask a question. Alas, the concept of benefit exists everywhere. And this word does not pass by other parishes. We will not develop this thought in order to avoid condemnation. Let's just keep in mind that nothing better than wax candles has been invented yet.
Anointing
Whoever has participated in this sacrament at least once knows what smells in the church, except for incense and wax. It smells of peace. And thus, calm, serene, not tolerating fuss, which is so lacking outside the gates of the temple. And the world - oil with the addition of various incense.
As a rule, the smell of such oil is very pleasant and delicate. When can you face him? At the moment of the anointing. This happens in the evening service when the priest paints a cross in oil on the forehead of the parishioner. This is a very crude explanation, but it is made to make it at least a little clear what chrismation is.
And the ceremony is as follows: the believer applies to the festive icon, which stands in the center of the temple, closer to the pulpit. The priest, in turn, stands facing this icon, also in the center of the temple. After the man has kissed the icon, he approaches the priest. And he performs the rite of Confirmation. This aromatic oil is then rubbed all over the face.
It's so easy to commit sins
Let us recall how the Circle sings: "It smells of wax in the old church, I cannot keep silent. It is so easy to commit sins ...".
What's next, who will remember? "But don't just redeem." Very accurately noticed by the long-deceased singer. Sin enters us in tons, and leaves with great difficulty, barely. And how do we atone for our sins? First of all, by repentance. And not only in words. We came to confession, listed our sins, read the prayer of permission over us and ...? And they went on to sin. Do the same things that you repented of. What is the point of such a confession, a question is brewing.
The meaning of confession is true repentance. And it means giving up sin. Rethinking your own life, when a person comes to the realization that everything! I don't want to live like this anymore and do this and that. This is the meaning of repentance, in avoiding sin and voluntarily rejecting it.
When we sincerely repent, ask for forgiveness, then we want to bring at least a little bit to God. And we wonder what we can give to the One who gives us everything? Light a candle, pray from the heart, thank from the heart. Everyone can do it.
Superstition
Sometimes a person wonders: although I'm not in church, it smells of incense. Indeed, this happens occasionally. Do not be afraid of this. In fact, the body tends to sometimes wishful thinking. The so-called "crash in the program". Let's say someone hasn't eaten sausage for a long time, and really wants to eat it. And it seems to him that the apartment smells of sausage, although there is no trace of it in the refrigerator, and no one can cut it at the moment. This is a game of the body, you should not pay attention.
It's the same here. People begin to panic, attribute supernatural explanations to this. Up to a warning about his own death. All this is nonsense, the real one. You should not look for a mystical meaning in something where it does not exist.
In general, there is no need to connect the church and mysticism. God will never give a person what he does not bear. As one nun used to say, when they began to broadcast in front of her that they were afraid to see or hear something otherworldly: "Well, keep your pocket wider."
Pointless and merciless
The husband comes home, the wife meets. She catches a strange smell and thinks: "Why does my husband smell like church? Oh, there will be trouble. Something will happen. He will probably die."
Or maybe the spouse went to the nearest church after work to light a candle. Was not long ago, pulled him there. Is the husband an unbeliever? I went into the store, ran into some guy. And this guy turned out to be an altar boy. And the smell of the church is already saturated. So he slightly impregnated my husband. So, dear ladies, you don't have to bury your spouse ahead of time and start winding yourself up. There are always explanations for everything. And it is better to approach the second half with a question about his last places of visit, than to puzzle over it.
And also briefly about what not to do. This is to believe grandma's fairy tales. Sometimes you go into the temple, and there, at the candlesticks, sharp-eyed grannies. They all see, they all notice. And they begin to hiss after: "She took the candle with her left hand, here's a cursed one. You can't put candles with your left hand, it's a sin. And you can't approach the icon in trousers, God will punish. And it rattles with heels like unclean hooves." Sound familiar, huh? So, the politics of these grandmothers has nothing to do with Orthodoxy. What do they do at the temple then, being absolutely illiterate in this matter? Notice the shortcomings of others and teach life. It is worth treating this with humor, but in no case be afraid and do not take nonsense into your head.
Another smell
It is intangible, it is impossible to feel it with the nose. Only with the soul. What else does the church smell like? Calmness and serenity. As in the parental home, where we are expected and loved. Where you can completely relax, feel safe and trust your loved ones. It is the same in the temple, only there we trust the Lord God himself.
Let's summarize
So, we found out what the old church smells of wax, incense and peace. Let's remember again what it is.
Wax is an environmentally friendly material obtained from the labor of bees. Real, fragrant candles for worship are made of wax.
Frankincense is an aromatic tree resin. It is used as the main attribute when burning incense, and therefore in the service. For censing is carried out during divine services. Frankincense is of three types: Arabian, Somali and Indian. Its smell is sweet, with delicate admixtures of lemon.
Miro - oil with incense. It is used in the service to perform the rite of Confirmation.
Conclusion
From the article we learned what smells like in the church. We received brief information about what incense and candles are, what myrrh is, what all this is used for. They also took into account the fact that superstition and faith are completely different things. We learned for ourselves the knowledge about evil church grandmothers.
Therefore, summing up, I would like to say that one should not pay attention to all sorts of misinterpretations that sometimes occur in the church environment. God sees everything: both our wax, clean candles, and our souls open to Him.
Frankincense is associated with many church rites. However, the range of its application is much wider. It can be used for exclusively domestic purposes and used at home. This is an interesting and unique substance that requires a close acquaintance. Often, even people who are closely familiar with its smell do not know what incense really is.
Frankincense: what is it
The resin from which incense is made has special aromatic properties that are unique to it. The smell of incense is difficult to confuse with another. The resin itself is obtained from a plant of the cistus family, which in its mass grows on the Arabian Peninsula.
The technology for obtaining the coveted substance is simple - an incision is made in the body of the tree, from which liquid is collected. Then it must be dried. In general, incense is used, obtained in any way. Some particles rip it straight from the bark, others pick it up from the ground on which it dripped. Hence the division of incense by type:
- normal,
- selected.
Each individual piece of resin is not very strong and quite easily, with the help of elementary tools, it is abraded into powder. In fact, frankincense is a small crumb obtained in this way.
Due to the very limited supply of the parent plant, frankincense is considered a very valuable material. However, its history has very deep religious roots. He was sacrificed even in the days of paganism and the worship of people to many deities. In the rituals of sacrifice, he represented an alternative to animal blood.
Frankincense has earned this attitude due to its aromatic properties. The strongest smell from the tar emanated when it was placed on hot coals. Fragrant smoke rose and went into the very sky, where the gods dwelt. So people gave them a sign and conveyed their requests.
With the emergence and development of Christianity, the substance was borrowed, and was also actively used in church rituals. Legend says that incense was among the gifts of the Magi for the birth of Christ.
Among the inhabitants of Ancient Russia, aromatic resin was revered as a means of scaring away evil spirits and evil spirits. Dwellings were fumigated with it, and small particles were always carried with them along with a pectoral cross. Belief in his magical power was (and still is) unshakable.
In addition, frankincense was also credited with completely earthy healing and even anti-aging properties.
- They were treated for joint pain in ancient Egypt, mixing with other ingredients and rubbing into the skin.
- To slow down the aging process and smooth the skin from existing wrinkles, incense was added as an ingredient in various cosmetic masks.
Traditions are observed to this day. The cosmetology industry uses resin for the same purpose, applying new recipes.
Views
Fumigation resins are often classified into different categories based on the place of production. The most famous is the substance that is produced on Mount Athos, in a male monastery. "Vatopedi" is distinguished from the entire local assortment. It is believed that this church incense is one of the highest quality among all, explaining this by such properties as:
Long-term storage capacity;
Quite a long fragrance, even after stopping the fumigation procedure;
Deep, rich aroma.
For the manufacture of this product, the highest quality aromatic oils are used, which, in turn, are divided into floral, woody, artificial and natural groups.
In general, the recipes for incense made on Athos are kept in the strictest confidence, so almost no one knows for certain the secret of the wonderful aromas that it possesses.
It is worth mentioning a few more types of incense that are respected all over the world.
Athenian incense. The name is directly related to the geographical point of localization of its production. Unlike the above, it is made in private workshops. The main difference is in the concentration of aromatic components.
Jerusalem. A distinctive feature is the appearance of the resin. The local product is presented not in the form of small pieces familiar to the eye, but in the form of plates, the thickness of which does not exceed three millimeters.
Lebanese monasteries also made their product famous by supplying incense with all the proper characteristics.
We got the secrets of production and before Russian craftsmen... Here, production is established on the basis of traditions and recipes laid down in Athos. Hence its aromatic and physical properties, which are especially appreciated in beneficial resins.
With the same principle of action, nevertheless, dozens of varieties of incense are distinguished. It also differs in price. Cheaper varieties have the same properties as expensive ones, but with much less impact.
Despite this, experts recommend that when choosing incense for use at home, rely on your own feelings and preferences. Each of the species is divided into several more subspecies, and all this number of varieties has an individual aroma with special characteristics of impact. Therefore, there is plenty to choose from.
You might be interested in an article on the benefits and harms of incense sticks. Also, in it we described which of them is better to choose, and where to buy them.
Beneficial features
Cistus is a plant from which the life-giving liquid is extracted, is listed in the Red Book as a plant that is almost exterminated and is a rarity among the flora of the planet.
In its original form, resin is a very expensive and almost inaccessible product. Increasingly, it is now being made, referring to conifers - cedar, spruce and others. This does not prevent incense from remaining the owner of a large number of beneficial properties:
Perfectly helps in the treatment of joint diseases, rheumatism, arthritis;
Contributes to the fight against colds;
Has a beneficial effect on the skin, eliminating various rashes and inflammations;
It is used to treat diseases of the urinary tract;
Helps to strengthen the immune system;
Successfully fights against diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, disorders, ulcerative manifestations;
It has a positive effect on the robot's nervous system, soothes;
It has a good effect on the functioning of the brain in general. Added to some drugs that improve memory;
Has antiseptic properties;
In some cases, it serves as an expectorant;
It is even found in cooking, as an aromatic additive to some drinks.
Taking into account the huge list of incense's abilities, it is actively used as an indispensable component of some prophylactic, medicinal and cosmetic products:
tinctures,
cosmetical tools.
Its aroma continues to be appreciated in a wide circle. Experts even studied it, and by the effect of the effect, they equated the substance used in fumigation of premises with narcotic drugs, explaining this by the incredible energy charge that occurs in the body when the vapors are inhaled.
The charge is so strong that a person begins to experience increased vigor, nervous tensions are dulled, up to complete pacification. A person relaxes under the tide of a wave of pleasant sensations.
Excessive inhalation of smoldering tar can even lead to euphoria. The effect will be maximum if the process is accompanied by a small amount of alcohol. In this, experts see the danger of miraculous crystals. In addition, it turned out that the products of their combustion can cause an allergic reaction. It can be very difficult to pass: with suffocation, dizziness and even loss of memory.
How to use incense at home
Nevertheless, at home, church incense is used as a flavoring agent. For this, it is not necessary to carry out church rituals in the dwelling with the use of a censer and other elements.
Some semblance of a brazier and coals is enough, you can even take an ordinary spoon. It is important to maintain the required temperature so that the pieces of the substance smolder, smoke.
You can use incense at home at least every day, there are no restrictions on this, it all depends on your needs and the body's response to incense. However, if you recall the advice of ancient monks-healers, then there you can find some recommendations on this matter:
In case of illness, you need to inhale incense for about 2 minutes, maybe a little less. Naturally through the nose. It is also necessary to burn the whole apartment.
Monks recommend placing about 2-3 small pieces of incense in a censer with coal. You should start censing with icons, of course, while reading a prayer to the Lord, the Mother of God or the saint you are addressing. After that, you need to fumigate the whole apartment, reading the prayer "May God Rise", and then the patient.
If the patient himself fumigates the room with incense, then there is no need to additionally fumigate himself. In this case, place the censer and calmly inhale the aroma for several minutes (2-3).
It is believed that incense purchased in the church is the most blessed and dangerous for evil spirits.
Resin can be added to the censer as needed. There are varieties of incense that burn out faster. The secret of the procedure is that the lower the temperature of the heated resin, the thinner the smell.
What kind of incense to choose for the home?
As mentioned above, it all depends on your needs. But according to an unspoken church rule, each type of incense is suitable for certain events, depending on their solemnity and the richness of the aroma of resin. The brighter the fragrance, the more solemn the moment.
Among the most popular types:
"Bishop" is the most expensive type. Has a bright and rich bouquet of aromas. It is often used in church services on major holidays.
"Altarny" - also has a good bouquet, but not as solemn as the view above. Used in churches for daily incense and on simple holidays.
"Cell" - this incense is usually used by monks for burning incense in cells. It has a discreet, subtle aroma.
What incense helps with what disease?
To help navigate the variety of incense varieties, we decided to make a small list: which variety, in which case to use. Information taken from an Orthodox site. So:
* On mobile devices, the table may not fit into the viewable area, but it scrolls perfectly horizontally.
On this, in principle, everything. We have highlighted what incense is, its beneficial properties, varieties and types. And the choice, in any case, is always yours.
