His Holiness Pope Shenouda addresses the subject of the presence of fire, incense, and candles in the church and their spiritual and liturgical meanings.

Meaning of the fire and candles

He explains that fire is a symbol of the divine existence, and that the presence of fire in candles and censers indicates the union of the divine nature with the human nature as in the symbolism of the coal’s place in the censer.

The position and legitimacy of incense

He clarifies that incense has a special altar in the Old Testament and has its own rite, and that it is not always connected with bloody sacrifices, but was constantly burned and considered holy and dedicated to the Lord.

Incense in the Holy Scripture

He cites examples from Exodus and Numbers and the Revelation of John where the altar of incense and the incense substances are mentioned and the readings that show its importance and continuity in worship.

Incense as a priestly and spiritual act

He points out that offering incense was only the work of the priests and that those who exceeded it from non-priests were punished as in the story of Korah and company, which indicates the sanctity of the work and its restriction to the priesthood.

The symbolic and spiritual meaning of incense

He interprets that incense symbolizes the prayers of the saints and the self-giving in the love of God, and that the scent of incense rising represents the ascent of the prayers of the faithful and their selves offered to the Lord.

The role of incense in contemporary worship

He mentions that incense accompanies prayers and satisfies the senses and helps the faithful — children and elders — to attend and uplift spiritually, and that the priest does not pass the censer silently but accompanies it with prayers and words.

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