Censer - Cast brass - Coptic incense burner

Late 18th- or early 19th-century cast brass Coptic incense burner from Ethiopia. It dates to the period 1750-1850 and was made in Africa. The vessel is The vessel is decorated with openwork motifs. For ecclesiastical use in the Coptic Church.

Material:
- Brass.

Dimensions:
- Length with chains: 84.5 cm.
- Height without chains: 30 cm.
- Diameter: 12 cm.

Condition:
- Fair. The incense burner has seen heavy use. In particular, the chains have some flaws and have been repaired many times. The handle has also been repaired. The top where a cross sat has broken off. By surrounding it with a brass framing, the handle still functions. The chain from which the lid hangs is attached to this repair of the handle by a small hook. (see photos)

Backgrounds:

Incense plays an important role within the Ethiopian church. It is used during church services and prayers and is regarded as an offering to God. Small burning coals are placed in the censer bowl, after which incense is added. The censer is swung rhythmically back and forth on long chains during religious services and processions to spread the aroma of the incense. The ash from the censer is considered holy, and it is believed to have the power to heal the sick.

The Ma’etant (Ge’ez: ০৭৯১৯, 'incense burner; Amh.: ৭০১৯, maiant, ৩, maiäñña; or, in current usage, f, séna [Ge’ez: ป, sénhah], 'incense burner') in the Ethiopian Orthodox (Täwahédo) liturgy is a round metal vessel designed to hold glowing charcoal upon which incense is burned. The vessel hangs from four chains, all attached to the handle, which is used to swing it around. It has a base and is fitted with a lid that slides over the chains. To control the smoke, the lid hangs from an extra chain terminating in a cross; the cross of this chain, running through the shank of the handle, forms the top of the entire instrument. Small bells (šahura, bilbilla) are often attached to the chains (twelve bells may be enough as a reference to the twelve apostles, whose voices reach to the end of the world [Psalm 18(19):4-5, sung as mésbak on an apostle feast day]).

The Ma’etant is used in almost every service in the Ethiopian Orthodox church tradition. Although deacons and even other people may handle it for practical purposes, only priests may hold it by the handle and perform censerings. A folk saying, common among the clergy, is that the form of the Ma’etant represents the image of Mary’s body being carried to the tomb by the apostles, since the deacons who would normally have carried out this task were only appointed later (interview with Alämnäw Azzänä, 24 May 2005).

Typology
The Ethiopian Orthodox liturgy (particularly the hymn Anti wéyetu ma Yéiänt zäwärq... You are the Golden Censer, Weddase Maryam, 6th stanza of Sunday, VelMe I, 91; II, 296, Mäshafä qäddase 1981/82, ch. III, no. 122 [Daoud 1954:41, no. 122] and the Zé wéyetu gizé..., 'This is the time...', Mäshafä qäddase 1981/82, ch. III, nos. 160-72 [Daoud 1954:48v., nos. 160-72]) and Ethiopian traditional scholars (via the ſérYatä betä kréstiyan) attach a spiritual significance to every element of the Ma’etant during use: the golden Ma’et änt represents the figure of the Holy Mary, who gave the Word of God its humanity. The glowing coal in the Ma’et. änt is the burning Divine Word of God in Mary’s lap; it is compared to the glowing coal the angel took to purify Isaiah’s lips (Isa 6:6), and the chalice itself is compared to the tongs he used. The incense is the fragrance of Jesus Christ’s Incarnation and His pleasing offering. The pan and the three chains symbolize the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, one God; the handle represents the fullness of Godhead; the 24 bells represent either the 24 Heavenly Priests (Rev 5:8), or the voices of the angels at the foot of the four living creatures. The smoke symbolizes the odor of God or the scent of the angels.

This sculptural bronze object is a late 18th- or early 19th-century liturgical censer, or censer, used for guided prayers and ritual ceremonies within the Coptic Orthodox Church. The censer was blessed by the priest before use and then lit with incense, such as incense resin, and carried through the church, accompanied by prayers and the reading of Scripture.

The censer consists of a square censer with a dome-shaped lid featuring a pattern of overlapping circles and a large cross on top. The lid can be lifted to reveal a deep censer bowl in which glowing embers and incense grains were placed. The censer sits on a perforated foot and hangs from four wire chains attached to a handle.

A censer is used to burn incense, a mixture of Arabic gum (resin from an acacia tree) and fragrances. Incense has been used since antiquity to symbolize the prayers of the faithful rising to God. It is placed on hot charcoal in the bowl of the censer and, as the censer is swung on its chains, the smoke rises and spreads throughout the church.

This censer comes from an Ethiopian Orthodox church, and the bells symbolize the elders surrounding God in the Revelation of John, the last book of the Bible.

The Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic Church until 1959, when it became fully autonomous.

A censer (in Latin Turibulum or Thuribulum) is a vessel in which incense is burned.
Usually it consists of a bowl with a lid. Chains are attached to the bowl, allowing the censer to be carried during the service or hung on a stand. An extra chain is attached to the lid. With this chain the lid can be pulled up to refill incense. This is done by placing incense grains on glowing coals.

The acolyte who carries the censer is the thuriferarius, thuriferar, or censer-bearer.