What Is Liturgical Incense?
Liturgical incense — commonly called church incense — is a fragrant resin burned during Catholic worship as a sign of prayer rising to God, an image taken from Psalm 141:2: "Let my prayer be set forth in thy sight as the incense." It is also a mark of reverence shown to the Blessed Sacrament, the altar, the Gospel book and the faithful. Incense is burned in a thurible — the metal censer suspended on chains — most often at Solemn Mass, Benediction, processions, funerals and blessings.
Types of Catholic Incense: Greek, Resin & Cones
The 90 products in this category fall into a few families, distinguished by how they are made and burned:
- Resin incense (29 products) — raw gum resins such as frankincense (olibanum), myrrh, copal and sandarak, burned on charcoal.
- Incense cones (13 products) — pre-formed cones that burn directly, convenient for home prayer and small chapels.
- Frankincense (olibanum) & myrrh — the two resins named in Scripture; we carry natural olibanum in 20 g to 100 g and myrrh from 20 g to 70 g.
Greek incense (21 products) — blends such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Pontificate and Angelus; descriptions state that several are made by hand according to the recipe of the monks of Mount Athos, and sold in 20 g to 100 g packs.
Pack weights in this category run from 10 g to 140 g, and prices from $4.00 to $17.00.
Choosing the Best Resin Incense
There is no single “best” resin — the right choice depends on how you burn it. For censing at Mass, natural olibanum (frankincense) or myrrh gives the clean, dry smoke a thurible needs; both are sold here in 20 g to 100 g packs. For home prayer a blended resin is more forgiving: John Paul II 70 g has a sweet, resinous Polish scent, while Myrrh 50 g is the classic resin for Good Friday. For a single jar that lasts the liturgical year, choose a 140 g pack of Basilica, Rafael or Vatican and keep it sealed and dry.
How to Burn Incense: Charcoal & Thurible
Loose, powder and resin incense do not burn on their own — as the product descriptions state, they "should be placed on hot charcoal" and "release the smell and smoke immediately after being poured on the charcoal." The charcoal is set in the thurible, allowed to glow, and the incense is spooned on top so that it smoulders and releases fragrant smoke. For handling hot discs, we stock dedicated charcoal pliers (Charcoal pliers — $10.00).
The censer itself — the thurible with its boat and spoon — is a separate item; browse our full thurible, boat & spoon range to match it with this incense.
Where Incense Is Used in the Liturgy
Incense is used at the celebration of the Eucharist, at Solemn Mass, at Benediction and exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, in processions, at funerals and at blessings. The thurifer brings the censer charged with burning charcoal, takes the incense from the boat and spoons it onto the coals; the thurible is then swung toward the altar, the Gospel book, the gifts or the congregation. How to Use a Thurible During Mass explains the steps, and The History of Incense in Catholic Worship traces how the practice came from the Temple to the altar.
Charcoal for Church Incense: Types, Lighting and Safety
Church incense charcoal is not barbecue charcoal. The discs used in a thurible are self-lighting charcoal: charcoal powder pressed with a small amount of saltpeter so that the edge catches from one match and the disc glows through in about a minute. Our Rose charcoal — 1 roll of 10 discs measures 3.3 cm (1.29 in), is hermetically sealed to stay dry and carries a light rose scent; a charcoal pliers keeps fingers away from the hot disc.
Three rules make lighting reliable: keep the discs dry, light the edge rather than the centre, and wait until the disc is covered with grey ash before spooning resin on top. One disc burns for roughly 20–30 minutes — enough for one thurible fill at Mass, Benediction or a procession. Coconut-shell charcoal is a low-odour alternative for people sensitive to saltpeter; it lights more slowly and needs a longer flame.
Safety: burn charcoal only in a heat-proof metal censer or thurible, never on wood or glass; ventilate the room; never leave a lit censer unattended; and store discs away from children and moisture. Extinguish a spent disc with water only after it has cooled.
How Much Does Incense Cost?
Incense in this category starts at $4.00 for a 10-cone pack and reaches $17.00 for a 140 g pack of high-quality resin incense; 41 of the 90 products cost under $10, so a parish or a home altar can be stocked economically.
What Scent Is Catholic Incense?
The classic Catholic scents are frankincense (olibanum) and myrrh, often blended with other resins. We carry natural olibanum and myrrh alongside blended Greek and resin incense in scents such as rose, jasmine, lavender, pine, sandalwood and cinnamon.
Do I Need Charcoal to Burn Incense?
For resin, powder and loose incense — yes; our product descriptions state that they should be placed on hot charcoal, while pressed cones are designed to light and burn by themselves. Always handle the hot disc with charcoal pliers, and place it in a heat-proof censer. For prayer at home, browse our home incense burners.
What Is the Catholic Incense Burner Called?
The metal vessel used to burn incense in church is called a thurible or censer; it is suspended on chains and swung during the liturgy. The small container that holds the loose incense before it is spooned on is the incense boat.
Is Greek Incense Different from Roman Incense?
Greek incense is the aromatic blend produced by Greek monasteries and sold under names such as Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Pontificate or Angelus — we carry 21 Greek blends in 20 g to 100 g packs. Roman-style incense is generally a resin blend; both are burned on charcoal. The choice is a matter of fragrance, not of rite.
How Long Does Incense Last?
Unopened resin and loose incense keep their fragrance for a long time when stored in a cool, dry place away from sunlight; pressed cones and 10-cone packs are best used within their stated pack, and our range runs from 10 g to 140 g so you can match the amount to how often you burn it.
Can I Burn Incense at Home?
Yes. For a home altar, pressed incense cones (13 products) are designed to burn without charcoal, while resin is placed on hot charcoal in a heat-proof censer. Keep the censer on a non-flammable surface and ventilate the room.
Which Incense Is Used at Mass?
At Mass the incense burned is typically frankincense (olibanum), often blended with other resins; it is placed on charcoal in the thurible and used to cense the altar, the Gospel, the gifts and the people. See How to Use a Thurible During Mass for the order of the censing.
What Kind of Charcoal Is Used for Incense?
Self-lighting charcoal discs — charcoal powder pressed with saltpeter — about 33 mm across for a thurible. They are odourless or lightly scented, burn for 20–30 minutes and are sold in sealed rolls of 10. Do not use barbecue briquettes: they smoke, smell and burn too cool for resin.
Is Burning Incense with Charcoal Safe?
Yes, with basic care: use a heat-proof censer, light the disc in a ventilated room, handle it with pliers, keep it away from children and never leave it unattended. People with asthma or sensitivity to smoke should burn less, or use pressed cones that need no charcoal.
How Much Incense Does a Church Use at Mass?
A single spoonful — roughly 3–5 g — per censing, on one glowing disc. A 70 g pack therefore covers about 15–20 censings, and a roll of 10 discs covers ten thurible fills; parishes usually keep a 140 g pack for the liturgical year.
Caring for Incense and Keeping It Fresh
Store resin and loose incense in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight, so the aromatic oils are preserved. The censer should be cleaned of resin residue regularly so that it burns evenly; see How to Clean and Maintain a Thurible for a step-by-step cleaning method.
Incense and the sanctuary lamp belong to the same language of worship: one rises as prayer, the other burns as a sign of the Real Presence.
