A thurible is a metal censer suspended from chains, in which incense is burned during worship services. It is used in Christian churches, including the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Assyrian Church of the East and Oriental Orthodox, as well as in some Lutheran, Old Catholic, United Methodist, Reformed, Presbyterian Church USA, and Anglican churches. In Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and Anglican churches, the altar server who carries the thurible is called the thurifer. The practice is rooted in the earlier traditions of Judaism dating from the time of the Second Jewish Temple.
A single chain thurible, as used by some Western churches
Stained glass window depiction of a thurible, St. Ignatius Church, Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Clockwise from upper left: Thurible, cup from inside thurible, incense boat, charcoal holder, and tongs.
Two servers swing thuribles towards the congregation during a funeral.
A censer, incense burner, perfume burner or pastille burner is a vessel made for burning incense or perfume in some solid form. They vary greatly in size, form, and material of construction, and have been in use since ancient times throughout the world. They may consist of simple earthenware bowls or fire pots to intricately carved silver or gold vessels, small table top objects a few centimetres tall to as many as several metres high. Many designs use openwork to allow a flow of air. In many cultures, burning incense has spiritual and religious connotations, and this influences the design and decoration of the censer.
Catholic thurible or chain censer, designed for swinging
Censer from Tibet, late 19th century, silver
Censer in form of a one-domed cubic Russian church, late 15th-early 16th century, silver, total height: 27.5 cm, width: 10.5 cm, the Moscow Kremlin Museums (Moscow, Russia)
A Qing dynasty qilin-shaped incense burner