Orthodox Home Censers

A censer is a small, portable metal vessel used for burning charcoal pieces or charcoal powder. In Greece, it is used in sacred spaces such as churches and cemeteries, as well as in the home, for the practice of censing with incense. Censing is performed for the purpose of cleansing and sanctifying the space in which it takes place. Believers typically incense their homes twice a day, in the morning and in the evening, during times of prayer. You can find censers of various types, designs, and colors in our online shop under the Home Censers category.

The censer carries deep symbolism that most believers are unaware of. The four chains from which the censer hangs symbolize the four Evangelists, while the twelve small bells symbolize the twelve Apostles. The faithful light the censer, an act that expresses humanity’s faith and love toward God, and the censer itself symbolizes the womb of the Virgin Mary. The burning coals are likened to the fact that the Theotokos received Christ within her, He who is described as a “consuming fire”, without she herself suffering corruption or alteration. Finally, the base of the censer represents the human nature of Christ, while the fire symbolizes His divine nature.

The censers available on our website are primarily made of bronze or are nikel-plated. There is also a wide variety of bronze censers with colored decoration, such as:

  1. A home censer in red, combining shades of blue and white in the decorative motifs depicted.

  2. A green home censer, featuring colorful floral decoration and a cross on the top of the lid.

  3. Ah ome censer with multicolored decoration, in shades of blue, green, pink, and red, with a distinctive handle.

For proper use of the censer, small lit charcoal pieces or charcoal powder are placed at the bottom of the censer. A special pair of tongs for handling the charcoal is available in our online store. The censer is then carried into each room of the house individually, so that the space may be cleansed and blessed. At the same time, according to tradition, the residents of the home are blessed as the smoke of the incense spreads throughout all areas, bringing blessing to the household. The process is completed at the main entrance of the house, affirming the protection and purification of the entire space. During the censing, the faithful may recite the following prayer:
“Let my prayer arise in Your sight as incense, the lifting up of my hands as an evening sacrifice” (Psalm 140:2).

The censers in our monastic collection are decorated with embossed or engraved designs featuring Byzantine motifs or floral designs. They preserve a traditional aesthetic, combining various patterns with elaborate decoration or vivid colors. An example of an engraved censer is the home censer with a cross. Floral motifs are also common, with small variations, such as a white home censer with pink embossed flowers, a green home censer with yellow and red flowers, and a blue home censer with pink and red details. All censers feature a cross on their upper part and differ in their handles. Some censers have more ornate handles, such as the gold-colored home censer, the carved home censer, and the gold home censer with decorative embellishment, while others are simpler and more understated, such as the bronze home censer with a silver-colored cross.