Church incensed over theft of incenser

A local catholic church (St. Catherine of Sienna) is out one incenser because it was taken from its cooling place during Saturday Night Easter Vigil services this weekend. Apparently the incenser, used to waft the smoke from burning incense during the ceremony, sets off the smoke detector if left inside.

I am sure there is a special place with above average temperatures for people who steal stuff from churches. Maybe they don't care because they are the type to wander around outside of church at Easter instead of going inside to the service. Still the church must now replace a several hundred dollar incenser. The item is bright gold, with a clanging chain and would have been smoking as the thief took it. I find it hard to imagine tucking it inside a coat as they fled with it.

For those interested in arcane church terminology, the incenser is also called a thurible and the person who wields it is the thurifer. The thurifer carried the thurible down the thoroughfare. Often during Mass the thurifer swings the censer to incense the congregation, and sometimes that makes me so mad. Thurifers who want to avoid getting burned on the coals can purchase an electronically activated inceser.

tags: thurible, thurifer, incenser, delaware, church, Easter