Incense was originally practical, used like a perfume. In pagan custom, it was used to honor the gods, kings, and the Roman emperor. Incense was adopted from secular and pagan custom in Old Testament times as a form of honor or worship of God. Moses and Aaron both offer incense to God and the book of Exodus contains a formula for incense to be used only in worship of Yahweh.
The sweet smell of incense and its rising smoke gave it a kind of natural symbolism. It became the image of something pleasing to God. The rising smoke came to symbolize a person's or people's prayers rising up to God. So in Psalm 141 we have the plea, "Let my prayer come like incense before you."
In the book of revelation, John sees the elders burning incense to God "which are the prayers of the holy ones (Rev. 5:8)
Today incense represents our prayer and worship to God, as well as a sign of sanctification or a setting aside of something for sacred use.
Largest incensor EVER:
The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela has long been a site for pilgrimages, where the remains of St. James, patron of Spain, are kept. This cathedral also contains the botafumeiro, a flying thurible suspended from the ceiling. This thing is incredible!! Watch this video from Pope Benedict XVI's visit there last Novemeber:
Its original, practical purpose was as an air-freshener for the large crowds of pilgrims. It weighs 176 lbs. and is 5 ft tall, with a peak swing at a height of some 200ft off the cathedral floor at speeds in excess of 40mph!!!
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