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To the Orthodox, burning incense represents the prayers of the faithful rising towards [[Heaven]] as a sweet smelling spiritual fragrance. One commonly sung [[psalm]] during the censing is "Let my prayer rise like incense before You, the lifting up of my hands like the evening sacrifice." Some Orthodox Christians use a standing censer on their home altars.
The [[censer]] used in the liturgical services of the [[Church]] contains a dishbowl/recepticle which represents the Church. Some commentators suggest that this represents the Holy [[Theotokos]] because like she contained within her womb the Divine Fire, so too, the [[censer]] contains the burning coal of faith. This dish is supported by four chains each of which carries three bells. The twelve bells represent the voices of the disciples proclaiming the [[Gospel]] based on the teachings of the four [[Evangelist]]s here represented by the chains.
== Sources ==