www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Disposal of censer

I've often wanted to bury censors myself!

Fr. Serge

Can't argue with that

C. H� X. B.

Kolya,

Sorry, I never intended to raise the dead! Around here this is the old country, infact after the Soviet persecution we have older customs then they do in the old country. Here disposal of holy objects at funerals are not only a standard operating procedure, but an honor. The family who�s grandmother was buried with a torm �plachanytcha� (holy shroud of Christ) is still bragging 40 years later while no one remembers who donated the one in use today.

Our local cemeteries will produce interesting archeological finds; stained chalice purificators, old prayer books with spines split, torn bundles of alter boy vestments. Those with old priest vestments and beyond repair gospel books or shabby deacon vestments and dented censers sent them to the chancery for the next deceased cleric who would be in need of such item to be buried in. Besides many a paper bag was tossed under the coffin by the priest as he threw on the first shovelful of soil, here. Then again here we have other oddities so such practices seam unnoticed. Here it is not unusual to have a professional photographer come in for a formal �sitting� of the bereaved family with the corpse.

Growing up my pastor did not take the cancer to the cemetery but instead a container of cold ashes. Several years earlier the local funeral director got a brand new limo with leather upholstery. We alter boys were going to ride to the cemetery in it. On the way Jimmy spilled the smoldering coals from the censer onto the new upholstery, I being the hero dumped the bucket of holy water on it causing steam to envelop the interior of the new vehicle, or as I remember it 50 years later. The funeral director pulled over and when the procession drove off there was a small gang of alter boys in dresses carrying a professional cross, censer and bucket WALKING back to the church. By the way we never saw a tip from the family for that funeral, nor were we invited to the family�s luncheon after. We just went to school waiting for judgment day to come down on us. We waited, and waited and waited, the only thing the pastor said was at the next funeral no censer to the cemetery just a Tupperware of ashes.

Slava Isusu Khrestu

Thank you

It was good to laugh at my error.

With my strange logic and errors.....if there is a censor then that would make us the "cens� " ... but in Japanese the spelling would be Sensei (先生, Sensei?). Therefore, the censor could be UKrainian or other... but we would all be Sensei 先生. I am starting to get this craving for rice

Z Bohom
Kolya

The Church of Constantinople lacks specific "blessings" for physical objects, unlike the Latins, and considers an object "blessed" or "consecrated" by its use. Hence, no "rosary blessings" etc.

When an object is no longer usable for religious and worship purposes, it should have a dignified disposal. This may include burial in a place that is consecrated, or perhaps, 'burial at sea' if this is an option. The main point is "dignified" disposal of the object so that it won't be abused. Much like our Native American brethren who must constantly monitor the excavations of the anthropologists who "study" the burial grounds of their ancestors and seem to forget that we are dealing with real people and their resting places until the Final Resurrection.

As to the ashes and the censers, etc., just bury them in the earth and the Lord will take care of them. The ashes will decompose within a few weeks, and the censers, since they are not inherently "holy" in themselves, will degrade into a clump of metal and no-one will dig them up for nefarious purposes!

Blessings to All!!

Dr John

Actually, I am not so sure about that, at least in this case. What happened was that the censer had been set on the Holy Table over the course of the Liturgy, and after that the priest brought it out onto a table in the Nave. He read the blessing from a book and then the censer was sprinkled with holy water, after which it was presented back to me. I can't remember if there was a specific prayer of blessing for the censer per se, but it certainly wasn't a generic leaving things on the altar to be sanctified. Unless, I am missing the point of what you are saying here ...

The Greek Orthodox have a tradition of leaving icons and religious objects on the Altar for 40 days -- the number of completion. During that time, they are censed and become part of the church. Just before giving the object to the faithful, it is blessed with holy water along with a prayer of blessing.

We then take the blessed object home to our Domestic Church.