My Favorite Scented Photo

"The acts of lighting incense and the anointment of the priests are also depicted through highly evocative images of distinction and exclusivity." (Green, 69)

In this photo, there are three people wearing white robes. Two are priests, who went through years of schooling and religious teachings, who worked hard to be called priests-- pillars of our community. The other person is me. We are not equal in our knowledge, or religious commitments, but we are dressed the same. I have been promoted to their level for one thing: I'm handling the incense. 

In my hometown church in Connecticut, this photo was taken in April 2025, on the Saturday of the Great Easter Vigil, the first official service celebrating the return of Jesus. It's held around sunset, and usually also includes a handful of baptisms. I was raised in this church, Trinity Episcopal in Torrington. The two priests behind me in the photo have been priests for me in different times in my life, and are still important figures in my life. Father Nick (left) loves incense. However, our church is full of crotchety old people, who hate it. It's smelly and makes the whole chapel smoky, according to them, so we only use it on very special occasions. Nick knows I also really enjoy incense, so he usually has me act as thurifer: the person who swings the thurible, which holds hot stones of charcoal that burns incense above it. To aerate and spread the smoke, one swings it around! It's really fun, in my opinion. 

One of the reasons I love this job so much is like Green states: the "distinction and exclusivity". I'm in charge of keeping the charcoal hot, the incense breathing, remembering the patterns we walk the church in, and spreading the delicious musky sweet scent. I love the photo too, for this. I'm not posed, or smiling for a camera. I'm just enjoying the service, and my job within it. I love how my hair looks, and how my bracelets shine in the light and match the bronze and gold objects surrounding me. I love how Mother Carrie (right) smiles at me. I love how the photo is blurred: everything is in motion. 

The Easter Vigil service is more sense-heavy than other services, at least in my experience. The service starts with all the lights off, before one candle is lit and the flame spreads, wick to wick, to the rest of the parish, who each hold a candle. There's sung music, but also bells! Often literal hand bells, along with organ bells. It's a loud service, proclaiming the return of our messiah. We eat, too, for Eucharist. The incense adds to it, I feel. If we're already doing more than a usual service, why not buy in fully? 

At the center of both my experience as a thurifer and the use of incense, is a sense of specialness. It's special when the chapel is full of sweet sticky smoke. It's special when I get to swing around the heavy golden chained thurible. Together, we are a holy union. Like the hot charcoals within, I too, glow.