On Monday, August 5th, we had the blessing of a new censor, to be used as we offer up to God incense together with our prayers during worship services. The censor was acquired from Romania and received as a donation from one of the parishioners. Before the blessing, Fr. John invited the children and adults to come forward and see the censor, while he explained its usage and spiritual function in the Orthodox Church.

Incense represents prayers of the saints lifting up into the heavens before God. This is evident from the blessing verse of the celebrant of the censer before incensing begins:

• "We offer to Thee, Christ our God, this incense as a spiritual fragrance; receive it, we pray, to Thy heavenly altar and send down to us, in return, the grace of Thy Holy Spirit."

And elsewhere:

• Psalm 140:2 - "Let my prayer arise in Thy sight as incense, The lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice."

Incense is also described as being used in heavenly worship, offering the faithful a foretaste of what is to come.

• Revelation 5:8 - "Now when He has taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints."
• Revelation 8:4 - "And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, ascended before God from the angel's hand."