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===Christian Worship===
From an indication in Revelation 8:3-5 incense was used in [http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/subapostolic sub-Apostolic] Christian worship, however there is no clear evidence of its Christian use until about the year 500.<ref name=NICON>Rev. Nicon D. Patrinacos. "Incense (Greek: θυμίαμα)." In: ''A Dictionary of Greek Orthodoxy - Λεξικον Ελληνικης Ορθοδοξιας.'' Light & Life Publishing, Minnesota, 1984. p. 205.</ref> Censers may at first have been fixed, with the introduction of portable censers originating later. The incensing of the [[altar]], [[church]], and [[congregation]], is first recorded in the 9th century.<ref name="NICON"/>
Emperor [[Justinian]] bestowed 36 golden censers with precious gems to the Cathedral [[Hagia Sophia (Constantinople)|Church of the Holy Wisdom]], and according to the testimony of Emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus (908-959), Byzantine Emperors entering the Church offered incense at specific censers.<ref name="CHRISTODOULOS"/>
==Theological significance==
:* Revelation 8:4 - "And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand."<ref>Revelation 8:4. ''The Orthodox Study Bible (NKJV).'' Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982. p.1726.</ref>
==IngredientsComposition of the Holy Incense=====Biblical and Judaic Usage===The recipe for making the holy incense, given in Exodus 30:34-38, names four components. The same quantity of each was to be taken and, mixed with [[Salt in the Bible|salt]],<ref group="note">Only the salt of [[w:Sodom and Gomorrah|Sodom]] ("melaḥ Sedomit") could be used.</ref> made into a confection.<ref name=JEWISH-ENCYC>Immanuel Benzinger, Judah David Eisenstein. ''[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8099-incense INCENSE].'' Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906.</ref> These were: [[w:stacte|stacte]], [[w:onycha|onycha]], [[w:galbanum|galbanum]], and pure [[w:frankincense|frankincense]] (the resin of the olibanum-tree, being one of the various species of ''[[w:Boswellia sacra|Boswellia]]'' indigenous to [[w:Arabia Felix|Arabia Felix]]). In later tradition<ref group="note">Given by [[w:Maimonides|Maimonides]], "Yad," Kele ha-Miḳdash, ii. 1-5.</ref> seven others spices were added to these, namely: [[w:Myrrh|myrrh]], [[w:Cinnamomum aromaticum|cassia]], [[w:Spikenard|nard]], [[w:Saffron|saffron]], [[w:Costus|kostus]], [[w:Cinnamon|cinnamon]], and aromatic-[[w:Bark|bark]].<ref name="JEWISH-ENCYC"/> Josephus speaks of thirteen ingredients, agreeing with the fact that in other sources the following two herbs are mentioned:<ref name="JEWISH-ENCYC"/> Jordan [[w:Amber|amber]], and a secret unknown ingredient - known in Hebrew as ''ma'aleh ashan'', literally "that which causes smoke to rise" - which has a quality which enabled the smoke to rise up to heaven in a straight column.<ref group="note">In our own time, some have speculated that this may be the plant ''[[w:Leptadenia pyrotechnica|Leptadenia pyrotechnica]]'', which contains nitric acid.<br>:* Rabbi Chaim Richman & The Temple Institute. ''[http://www.templeinstitute.org/incense.htm INCENSE].'' The Temple Institute.</ref> ===Modern Usage===Normally, the resin of the ''[[w:Boswellia sacra|Boswellia thuriferasacra]]'' plant (frankincense) is used as a base for incense manufacturing; however, resin from fir trees has also been used. The resin is often infused with a floral oil, producing a fragrant scent when burned.
In the [[Mount Athos|Athonite]] tradition, incense is often sprinkled liberally with clay dust to prevent granules from clumping.
==See also==
* [[Censer]]
==Notes==
<references group="note" />
==References==
* [[w:Religious_use_of_incense#Christianity|Religious use of incense - Christianity]]
* [[w:Incense offering|Incense offering]] (Ketoret, Jerusalem temple incense)
* [[w:Spikenard|Spikenard]]
'''Online Catalogs'''
* [http://www.holycross-hermitage.com/cgi-bin/commerce.cgi?search=action&category=NCNS&keywords=all&template=PDGCommTemplates/TopBotNav/Storebuilder_Type4.html Athonite Style Church Incense]. [[Hermitage of the Holy Cross (Wayne, West Virginia)|Holy Cross Hermitage]] - Online Catalog.
* {{el icon}} ''[http://el.wikipedia.org/wiki/%CE%9B%CE%B9%CE%B2%CE%AC%CE%BD%CE%B9 Λιβάνι].'' Βικιπαίδεια.
* Immanuel Benzinger, Judah David Eisenstein. ''[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/8099-incense INCENSE].'' Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906.
* Joseph Jacobs, Immanuel Löw. ''[http://www.jewishencyclopedia.com/articles/11324-nard NARD].'' Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906.
* Rabbi Chaim Richman & The Temple Institute. ''[http://www.templeinstitute.org/incense.htm INCENSE].'' The Temple Institute.
[[Category:Liturgical objects]]
[[ro:Tămâia]]
