Contemporary Coptic Censer
Purchased for this exhibit
A common practice in the Coptic Church is censing—blowing incense over iconic images to purify them. Coptic censers come in many styles ranging from simple—like this sleek, silver one—to beautifully ornate and inland with precious stones.
A) Incense resin lies in the concave chamber, which lifts so hot coals can be placed underneath.
B) The priest uses the chain to swing the censer and disburse incense smoke. The three parts of the chain represent the Coptic Christian Holy Trinity—the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
C) The Coptic Church traces the use of incense to the Old Testament, which makes up the first part of their holy text, the Bible. One passage talks about offering incense in the morning and evening, which the Coptic Church practices to this day.
Photo by Matt Unger, courtesy of
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
