Incensing at Mass
Date: December 21, 2025
Author: Fr. Edward McNamara, LC
Question 1: In the Tridentine Mass, the gifts at the offertory were incensed, making three crosses over the gifts with the thurible, then two counterclockwise circles and one clockwise circle while saying a prayer. Is this way of incensing the gifts at the offertory still permitted in the Novus Ordo Mass? — T.R., San Diego, California
Question 2: At the conclusion of Mass, does the priest have to put incense into the thurible before the procession forms? Our priest insists that he should be the one to charge the thurible at the end of Mass. — J.W., Cleveland, Ohio
Answer: Since both these questions refer to incensing, I will answer them together.
The General Instruction of the Roman Missal (GIRM) says the following regarding incensation:
“276. Thurification or incensation is an expression of reverence and of prayer, as is signified in Sacred Scripture (cf. Ps 141 [140]:2; Rev 8:3). Incense may be used optionally in any form of Mass:
“a) during the Entrance Procession;
“b) at the beginning of Mass, to incense the cross and the altar;
“c) at the procession before the Gospel and the proclamation of the Gospel itself;
“d) after the bread and the chalice have been placed on the altar, to incense the offerings, the cross, and the altar, as well as the Priest and the people;
“e) at the elevation of the host and the chalice after the Consecration.
“277. The Priest, having put incense into the thurible, blesses it with the Sign of the Cross, without saying anything. Before and after an incensation, a profound bow is made to the person or object that is incensed, except for the altar and the offerings for the Sacrifice of the Mass.
“Three swings of the thurible are used to incense: the Most Blessed Sacrament, a relic of the Holy Cross and images of the Lord exposed for public veneration, the offerings for the Sacrifice of the Mass, the altar cross, the Book of the Gospels, the paschal candle, the Priest, and the people.
“Two swings of the thurible are used to incense relics and images of the Saints exposed for public veneration; this should be done, however, only at the beginning of the celebration, following the incensation of the altar. The altar is incensed with single swings of the thurible in this way:
“a) if the altar is freestanding with respect to the wall, the Priest incenses walking around it;
“b) if the altar is not freestanding, the Priest incenses it while walking first to the right hand side, then to the left.
“The cross, if situated on the altar or near it, is incensed by the Priest before he incenses the altar; otherwise, he incenses it when he passes in front of it. The Priest incenses the offerings with three swings of the thurible or by making the Sign of the Cross over the offerings with the thurible before going on to incense the cross and the altar.”
When describing the rite at the offertory, the GIRM says:
“75. The bread and wine are placed on the altar by the Priest to the accompaniment of the prescribed formulas; the Priest may incense the gifts placed on the altar and then incense the cross and the altar itself, so as to signify the Church’s offering and prayer rising like incense in the sight of God. Next, the Priest, because of his sacred ministry, and the people, by reason of their baptismal dignity, may be incensed by the Deacon or by another minister.” [see also 178]
As seen above, the gifts are no longer incensed with the circle and accompanied by prayers but either by the triple swinging of the thurible or by making a sign of the cross over the gifts with the thurible. No prayer formulas are provided by the missal.
Indeed, it would appear that the reformed liturgy considers that the very action of incensing is itself considered as representing a prayer and the former custom of accompanying every such incensing with a prayer has largely fallen into disuse.
Bishop Peter J. Elliott illustrated this action in his Ceremonies of the Modern Roman Rite:
"397. Having taken the thurible from the deacon, the celebrant faces the altar. Together with the deacon(s) he bows and incenses the offerings either (a) with three double swings or (b) making the sign of the cross. The celebrant and deacon(s) bow again, turn to the right and incense the altar in the same way as at the beginning of Mass. When they return to the center, the deacon receives the thurible from the celebrant and goes to the right end of the altar. Facing one another, the celebrant and deacon(s) bow, and the deacon incenses the celebrant (and the other deacon) with three double swings. They bow again. Then the deacon goes to incense concelebrants — with three double swings for the whole group, from a fixed point in front of them. He incenses clergy in choir in the same way. At the front of the sanctuary, he bows to the people and incenses them with three double swings. The people stand and bow before and after they have been incensed. Then they remain standing. Having bowed to the people, the deacon gives the thurible to the thurifer and returns to the altar."
Hence, as a reply to our first reader, the older rite of incensing the gifts should not be carried out in the current order of Mass.
With respect to our second enquirer, I would point out that GIRM 276 makes no mention of using incense after the incensation at the elevation during the Eucharistic Prayer. In many places at the time of the Our Father the boat and thurible are left in the sacristy or in another place and are either extinguished or allowed to burn out naturally.
Once more I defer to Bishop Elliott and his description of the final procession:
"412. After the blessing, the deacon (or the deacon of the Word) dismisses the assembly. Facing the people, he sings the dismissal with his hands joined, using one of the options provided. After the assembly has responded, the celebrant and deacon(s) go to the altar. They kiss it and go to the pavement in front of the altar, where the final procession lines up. The M.C. or a server may bring the Book of the Gospels to the deacon (or the deacon of the Word), so that he can carry it in the procession. At a signal from the M.C., those who are not carrying anything bow profoundly to the altar or genuflect if the tabernacle is in the sanctuary. The procession leaves in the same order as it entered, except that the thurifer (and boat bearer) without the thurible (and boat) follows the cross bearer and candle bearers. During the procession, a final hymn may be sung or music may be played, according to the occasion or local custom."
The author offers further clarifications in a footnote: "The approved authors were divided as to whether a thurifer who is not carrying the thurible should lead the procession. On this minor point it seems logical that, having ceased to function, the thurifer should join the other servers behind the cross."
In consequence, the question of who puts incense into the thurible for the final procession is somewhat moot. The thurible does not usually form part of this procession and, indeed, would have little symbolic or practical purpose at this moment.
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