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When to incense?

Question

Question

When are we supposed to incense during the Mass? At what time of the liturgical year?

--Itching in Illinois

Answer

Answer

The Ceremonial of Bishops, #84-98, offers when to incense and some suggestions about how to do this:

  • during the Entrance procession
  • during the Gospel procession
  • during the preparation of the gifts and altar
  • during the Eucharistic Prayer
  • during the closing procession
  • at funerals, around the casket/body at either the beginning of the liturgy, the preparation of the gifts/altar or at the Song of Farewell

There is no restriction or instruction about at what time of the liturgical year. The CB and General Instructions of the Roman Missal assume you will incense all year. Yet many congregations will limit incensing to specific "high liturgies" or seasons, such as Advent, Christmas, Lent, Triduum and the Easter Season.