Incense
As Inzens (m. Or f., From lat. Incendere "burn, burn" Medieval-. Incensum " incense , a burnt offering "), commonly known Beweihräuchern is called in the Church the solemn fumigating with incense as orthodox it in the Catholic and Liturgy happens in a service , sometimes in Lutheran congregations. The censer is grabbed by the chains above the barrel and lifted up, then depending on the type of incense, different numbers of so-called puffs are made with the censer. The chains should hit audibly.
The priest or deacon accompany for this purpose usually two acolytes who Thuriferar (composed of lat. THUS "incense" and ferre "carry") and the Navikular ( lat. Naviculum , diminutive to navis "ship") that the censer with Carry and present the glowing coal in it and the boat with the incense.
The incens is used in the liturgy especially in holy masses , in the Liturgy of the Hours of Vespers , in processions , sacramental devotions and church funerals . The incensing is carried out by the celebrating priest, the deacon or the altar boy .
The Eucharistic gifts (during the preparation of the gifts and for the elevation (liturgy) after the conversion ), all symbols of Christ - i.e. altar , Easter candle , cross , gospel book , manger , celebrant , concelebrant (s), the congregation - reliquaries , images and so on - are honored with incense Holy figures. The Eucharistic gifts, the Easter candle and crosses as well as all persons are incensated with three double moves, relics , pictures and statues of saints with two double moves. The altar is lit with simple strokes while walking around it.
Deviating from this requirement, many parishes in Germany have been following the Anglican tradition for decades , which hierarchizes the grouping and number of trains more strongly . The number three as a symbol of the divine trinity plays a special role here. As a result, the Eucharistic gifts are incensated with three times three strokes during the walk, corresponding to the most holy place in the sacramental blessing . All symbols of Christ are consecrated with three two puffs, the parishioners only with three puffs.
The meaning of the incensing varies depending on the context. The interpretation is very common as a prayer according to Psalm 141 (“My prayer rises to you like a smoke offering”), but also as an expression of veneration, as a blessing or purification. Likewise, incense can be interpreted as being lifted out of sacred action and liturgy from the sinful world in an atmosphere of the sacred.
Use in Holy Mass
The holy mass is incensated
- at the entry - incense of the altar and the altar cross
- at the gospel procession - incense of the gospel
- at the beginning of the Eucharistic celebration (preparation of the offering) - incense of the offerings, the altar, the celebrant and the community
- during the elevation - incense of the consecrated gifts of bread and wine.
Regionally or on certain occasions, incense is also used for solemn blessings and for extracting .
At high festivals and on special occasions, the following is often also incensated:
- at the beginning of Advent - blessing and incense of the Advent wreath
- at Christmas - incens of the crib
- on the feast of the Presentation of the Lord , the Thuriferare often precede the candlelight procession
- on Palm Sunday for the Palm procession and the solemn entry of the decorated processional cross into the church
- On Maundy Thursday , the Eucharistic procession, with which the Holy of Holies is brought to a side altar, is preceded by a Thuriferar
- In the Easter period - In the Easter vigil Inzen of the Easter fire (with which the Easter candle is lit) and before the Exultet of the missal (in which the Exultet is written), in the Holy Masses of Inzen of the Easter candle .
- on Corpus Christi - incense of the holy of holies, the altars and the gospel before the proclamation at the stations of the sacrament procession
- on the feast Exaltation - Inzens of the Cross
Other occasions in the liturgy or the dispensing of sacramentals where incensation is used:
- in the Liturgy of the Hours at the Magnificat , locally also at the Benedictus in Laudes and in Matins for the presentation of the Gospel
- at the church funeral
- for the grave blessing at All Souls' Day and at Requien
- in exposing the Blessed Sacrament and in the subsequent sacramental blessing
- in processions in front of the processional cross, in Eucharistic processions in front of the Holy of Holies
- at church services in which relics are venerated
- on Assumption for the herb consecration
- with blessings of apartments and houses, even when the carolers move
Web links
- Basic order of the Roman Missal (DBK Arbeitsshilfe 215) on the homepage of the German Bishops' Conference (PDF; 545 kB)
literature
- Michael Pfeifer: The incense. History, meaning, use. Pustet, Regensburg 1997, ISBN 3-7917-1566-6 .
- Ralph Regensburger: incense. Fragrance of the knowledge of Christ. An aid to the background and use of incense in the liturgy. R. Regensburger, Berchtesgaden 2008, ISBN 978-3-00-024715-6 ( digitized ; PDF; 335 kB).
Individual evidence
- ↑ duden.de
- ^ Basic order of the Roman missal from 2007
- ↑ cf. Ceremonial Episcoporum No. 92.
- ↑ cf. Basic order of the Roman Missal No. 276.
- ^ Josef Andreas Jungmann SJ: Missarum Sollemnia. A genetic explanation of the Roman mass. Volume 1, Herder Verlag, Vienna, Freiburg, Basel, 5th edition 1962, p. 413; see. Incense in Christianity. Retrieved March 22, 2016 .