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I would like to know how to burn and offer incense?

The burning part is tricky! You buy the charcoal pellets (they are shaped like really thick coins) which are kind of expensive (the best deal I've found is about $20 for a box of 100). You put the charcoal in your incense burner and TRY to light the edges! It takes me about 20 minutes to get one good and lit. Here's what I have learned through trial and error. I hold the match at one edge until it glows, then I blow on it to "fan" the ember. Then I do the same thing at the other side of the circle. Do this all around the circle, blowing and fanning the ember until the whole charcoal is lit. When it's lit, DO NOT put your incense on it right away! It's still too hot and will scorch the incense. Then it doesn't smell nice, it smells 'burnt'. Just like barbecuing, you have to wait until it has burned a little while. And just like with barbecuing, I am too impatient and I put the incense on too soon, more often than not! Anyway, when the coal is a little cooler, use a tong or spoon to put a few nuggets of incense on.

You might want to try two or three brands of charcoal. The brand I have right now doesn't work very well and takes about 20 minutes to light. I think it's called Self-Lite. Our priest gave me two rolls of charcoal. One didn't have a label and was worse than the Self-Lite. The other had an orange-red wrapper, I think with flames, and I think it was called "Quick-Liting" or something like that. It was wonderful, and if it's a little more expensive it would be well worth it. I could get that stuff lit in about 5 minutes.

The best price I've found on incense is at http://www.easternchristian.com [easternchristian.com] . I think I paid $6.50 for a half-pound of the basic cedar incense, and it goes up to $10.50 for some of the scents. They do have a $20 minimum order, but if you get your charcoal there (Don't get the Self-Lite!) or a prayer rope, you can easily bring it up to the minimum.

Hope this helps.

Tammy

It was helpful, thank you. Is it acceptible to burn incense sticks?

There is another way to burn incense without charcoal. When last in Ukraine I picked up 'incense burner' (for lack of a better term - don't know what the proper name is) which consists of a small 'dish' about the size of a US 5 cent piece attached to three legs which one then places on a vigil lamp. The flame of the vigil lamp heats the dish enough burn the incense. The only drawback is that you have to be careful when cleaning the dish. If you do it too soon the contraption is *very hot*, if you wait to long the remains harden and you have to scrape. If I can find a picture of this set-up I'll post it here.

I'd like a contraption like that! Does anyone here frequent Ukraine or have contacts in Ukraine, that could obtain one for me?

Tammy

It can be much easier to light if you buy the self-lighting kind, then hold them with tongs (I use an old pair of metal kitchen tongs). Use a lighter or a match and slowly work it around the edges and in the middle of the top of the charcoal. Once a significant portion of the edges are lit, you just blow a few times and then let it sit for a few minutes, and the whole thing will be glowing. Then, using an old metal spoon, scrape the ashes off the top before using, then put a few pieces (not too much) on the sides, touching the coal, this will cause the incense to burn without getting the burnt smell after a little while.

Before putting more on, just push the old stuff away and reapply.

One other tip--don't close the top of the incenser, unless you want it to go out or are actually incensing. the coal needs more air than a few little holes give it.

Justin

Better yet, light your candles first and then hold the charcoal over the candle flame [needlenose pliers work great]. It takes significantly less than twenty minutes and then just add a pinch of incense and you're all set. Stick incense would , I think, violate some intrinstic step of the little ritual... too much like the Hare Krishna/hippie incensing of my youth [unless you are trying to hide some herbal scent, which seems a little incongruous]...

Daily Monk:

I love 3 Kings charcoal myself - we use it at church and I use it at home. Easy to light and long burning. There's 2 sizes available, and the small size is easier to work with, although we'll use 2 smalls at church as opposed to 1 large. We change the charcoal during the Homily to ensure we make it all the way through Liturgy. One large piece is enough for home use I think (using a hand censer). I think it is also important to buy incense from a monastery, as the monks will pray as they make it and it is a labor of love.

At home I'll light a candle, then the charcoal and get my morning prayers set up, then add incense and cense my icons and leave it going while I pray - that's all. I'll do the same if I don't get lazy and do a short Compline in the evening... . I save the used charcoal and incense residue in a can for burial outside my house (not the garbage can). Hope all this helps!

"Let my prayers ascend to You like incense, and the lifting up of my hands, like an evening sacrifice."

Ahhhh, soon it will be time for Pre-Sanctified Liturgies.....

Slava Isusu Christu!
Glenn

We also use Three Kings at home, mainly because it is cheaper at our nearby Middle Eastern food market than the Ready-Lite at the church supply store.

The very best incense I have bought yet is from Holy Cross Skete:

http://www.holycross-hermitage.com/pages/Incense/holy_cross_incense.htm
I recommend Iveron for the Theotokos, Imperial Violet for feasts of the Lord, and Cassia or frankincense for fasting times. Orange Blossom is also a nice festal fragrance.

And they raise goats...way cool.

Daily Monk, you can find a plethera of information on doing services without a priest on Father John Whiteford's site, http://pages.prodigy.net/frjohnwhiteford/horologion.htm

Monk, if you live anywhere near a Greek specialty store or grocery (NYC abounds in them) Quicklighting Charcoal can be bought in packets of 25 rolls of about 7 pieces each for under $10. use a match to light in a censer, as the lighting will extinguish the flame of both a match or a candle. No blowing is necessary, the spark spreads throughout the charcoal. Wait a bit till the coal is cooler, then use tongs to place incense on the charcoal. Do not close top of censer. Icons should be censed, as well as every room in the house. Censer should then be left burning by the primary icon corner in your house while you complete your morning and evening prayers. I second the thought that incense should be bought from the monasteries wherever possible, as it supports our monastics.

Oh - lots of information here. Thank you everyone

I brought back some insence and charcoal from Lourdes last year but could not find a burner that I liked then [ those available seemed - how can i politely put it - New Age ? ] but have encountered a few problems, and solved some of them since.

For a burner I have a small almost triangular stainless steel dish which rests on a heat resistant mat and it is in front of an icon.

Charcoal has been a bit of a problem - my french stuff was wonderful - lit instantly but of course eventually the supply went done and I had to start looking for a local supplier - I assure you not easy. What I did find was expensive 10 pieces for about 2.33 US Dollars and it was very very hard to get it alight. Once lit it burned very quickly.

Now I have managed to find a good source - a ROCOR Monastery in England - wonderful incense [ a sample pack was 3 chunks of each of the 14 varieties ] and rolls of quick lighting charcoal [from Prinknash Abbey ] Now I have no problem , my charcoal lights easily , once the first contact area glows red I drop my piece of incense on and all is well

Still having problems finding wicks for my little vigil lamp though That will be solved in time - next time I can get into Town I will take the 'wick holder' into a craft shop and see what I can find there. Till then a candle suffices [ I have little votive ones here and a lovely beeswax one for the caravan]

Anhelyna

And if you guys have any trouble lighting the charcaol that you've purchased, pour some gasoline on it, stand back a couple of inches and toss a lighted match into it. That will solve the problem.(It's a good idea to have a fire extinguisher handy, just in case you over do it).
Lauro

Dear Daily Monk,

Glory to Jesus Christ!

I agree with Justin. Use kitchen tongs and light the charcoal with a flame. A candle in a stand would work well. I would add that you should keep the charcoal in an air-tight container. Moisture from the atmosphere can make the charcoal very hard to start.

Good luck,

Deacon El

Dear Friends,

You guys are really blowing smoke here . . .

Daily Monk asked if it is legitimate to burn incense sticks - something I would like to know as well.

I like to burn them at work during "Alex's Midday Hour services!"

Well, firebrands?

Alex