Incense with attar of rose
  • JulieCollJulieColl
    Posts: 2,465
    I know this doesn't have to do with music, but we packed up the family and traveled to Manhattan for the Solemn High Mass at Holy Innocents in Manhattan yesterday. It was a lovely ceremony, and one of the many highlights was the rose incense. I didn't know such a thing existed, but it was heavenly, and such an exquisite detail for the feast of Our Lady.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn Jahaza
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    The old Latin Rite incense with clouds of black smoke stinks and is acrid. Some of the priests here have started using Byzantine incense which comes in a variety of fragrances, and doesn't choke the congregation. Look at any eastern supply house, such as Light & Life - probably the leading Orthodox supply house - and look at their incense collection.
    Thanked by 2M. Jackson Osborn JulieColl
  • M. Jackson Osborn
    Posts: 8,414
    It stinks and is acrid because it is 90% cedar chips and globs of resin instead of costly frankincense. As Charles notes well, some of the best incense to be had is from the Orthodox: not only is it pure frankincense, it is further odored by costly scented powders. This is the incense that rises to heaven!
    Thanked by 6CHGiffen Adam Wood expeditus1 JulieColl CharlesW Chris Allen
  • Protasius
    Posts: 468
    I never have seen incense with black smoke. The one I have encountered was always with light grey or white smoke. And except one Syro-Malabarian Qurbana I have always attended the Latin Rite.
    Thanked by 2Adam Wood CHGiffen
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I don't know if this is the reason, but some years ago synthetic incense showed up in the catalogs. It is much cheaper, but that is where the acrid smoke comes from, I think. However, this is for God, so use the good stuff! As our associate pastor often says, "Nothing is too good for God."
    Thanked by 2ryand Chris Allen
  • ScottKChicago
    Posts: 349
    Pure frankincense smells best and doesn't irritate the way the floral additives do. I don't know why it isn't just used as it is and has to be doctored up with allergens.
    Thanked by 2CharlesW Ioannes Andreades
  • JahazaJahaza
    Posts: 470
    Pure frankincense is actually not particularly expensive. I pay 12-15 dollars a pound here in NYC for it. The bright blue "Trinity Powder Blend" incense, which is among the worst of the worst is $22.00 dollars a pound. The pure frankincense is cheaper.

    Cedar chips or powder in incense are highly problematic. It's used for three purposes, 1) as an extender, because it is cheap 2) to give "instant" smoke faster than large frankincense rocks and 3) some people do like the evergreen scent. 1) is unnecessary, pure frankincense is just not that expensive 2) is solved by using a mortar and pestle (or a dedicated electric coffee/spice grinder) to create frankincense powder for your mix 3) not worth the additional allergy reaction/acridness. If you like the scent, Holy Cross Monastery (ROCOR) sells an "Evergreen and Embers" incense that can give you that note when blended with frankincense or other incense without (apparently) actually containing cedar dust/chips.

    Using rose or other floral incense on Marian feasts is popular with some, we do it at Our Saviour sometimes (and on Gaudete and Laetere), but it is problematic too, as it does increase people's allergies.

    We mostly use either Greek or Russian orthodox incense for the scents, but we cut it with frankincense. A little scented incense goes a long way. Our mix will be something like 1/4 rose incense (which is itself mostly frankincense) mixed with 3/4 pure frankincense.

    It should be noted that the rubrics arguably mean frankincense when they say incense and incense should be in its majority of original ingredients actual frankincense. I wouldn't use the Holy Rood Guild/Spencer Abbey's Cantica Incense for this reason.
    Thanked by 5M. Jackson Osborn Aristotle Esguerra CHGiffen Adam Wood JulieColl
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,478
    Jahaza- do you buy it in person, or is there an online source your would recommend?
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I recently visited an Orthodox church and they were using a smokeless incense. It had fragrance, but a barely noticeable vapor instead of smoke. It didn't seem to bother anyone's allergies, including mine.
  • JahazaJahaza
    Posts: 470
    I buy pure frankincense mainly from Greek grocery stores in Astoria, Queens and from a Muslim run religious goods store/perfume shop here in Jamaica, Queens. I buy basic Rose incense in the Greek style from the same stores in Astoria. I've been looking for an online/bulk source for both and haven't found one yet.

    I buy Russian/Athonite style incense mail order from the Holy Cross Hermitage of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, when they're having one of their periodic sales, like now: 30% off until the end of August. The same incense is also sold in the gift shop of the Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia on Manhattan's Upper East Side, but while I'm up there more often than the average Roman Catholic, I'm not up there that often.

    Like I said, we mix the Holy Cross Hermitage Incense with other scents, but the less floral ones can also be used on their own. We find that it helps to sift off the talc with a wire mesh strainer, it burns better and is less messy. Other people disagree, thinking that this lessens the scent too much.
    Thanked by 3Aristotle Esguerra Adam Wood Salieri
  • CharlesW
    Posts: 11,978
    I buy thru online and mail. Check out Life & Light Publishing's website. They have good quality products.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,478
    >>Holy Cross Hermitage

    Whoa. Great stuff in their gift shop.
    Incense, as noted above.
    Incense supplies, icons, crosses, soaps, books, CDs....

    Thanks!
    Thanked by 1Jahaza
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