# Why Do They Burn Incense in Church?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 20, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679 "2001-03-20T05:20:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679/1 "2001-03-20T05:20:42Z")

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Just curious after all these years. Why DO they burn incense in churches?

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**Author:** ![ookpik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c68b51/32.png) [@ookpik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ookpik)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679/2 "2001-03-20T05:51:42Z")

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Not so long ago…Well okay, a couple of centuries perhaps, bathing was not something you did on a whim…

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**Author:** ![Arden\_Ranger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b487fb/32.png) [@Arden\_Ranger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arden_Ranger)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679/3 "2001-03-20T06:01:19Z")

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It is to purify the air for the Holy Spirit (according to my church-Episcopalian (which I always spell differently))

The fact that it covered up the stench of the unwashed masses was also a bonus.

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**Author:** ![Fleetwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fleetwood/32/271_2.png) [@Fleetwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fleetwood)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679/4 "2001-03-20T12:22:36Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Arden Ranger \*  
> \*\*The fact that it covered up the stench of the unwashed masses was also a bonus. \*\*

Is that why they call the benches pews???

Sorry, couldn’t resist.

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**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-they-burn-incense-in-church/58679/5 "2001-03-20T14:43:53Z")

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What I remember is that incense is symbolic of prayer rising to God as the incense wafts upward. This is partly in line with this:

> [@](#):
>
> Incense, with its sweet-smelling perfume and high-ascending smoke, is typical of the good Christian’s prayer, which, enkindled in the heart by the fire of God’s love and exhaling the odour of Christ, rises up a pleasing offering in His sight.

from [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07716a.htm](http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07716a.htm).