The Traditional Use of “Incensi” among the Annang People: Liturgical Opportunities and Challenges in Ikot Ekpene Catholic Diocese, Nigeria
Journal Title: International Journal of Social Science And Human Research - Year 2021, Vol 4, Issue 12
Abstract
Almost every major world religion and tribal spiritualities light plant parts in worship to seek greater connection to the divine. Incense is defined as a material that is burned to produce an odour which is also referred to as the perfume itself that is produced from the burning of plant. Many people light incense sticks in their homes just for the sweet smell and the ability it has to transform space. Others too in our world today may have a stigma connecting incense sticks and illegal drug use. Many of us who have been Catholics may have witnessed the swinging of censers, filling the Church with sweet-smelling resins. The tradition of using incense in the liturgy goes back to ancient Hebrew worship, as recorded in the Psalms: “Let my prayer be set forth in Thy sight as the incense” (Ps 141:2). Incense as often used as part of a purification ritual seems to have lost its symbolisms and proper use of it in the Church as well as the decline of its use. The real problem here is that many faithful hardly know the real reason and purpose why incense is an important part of the Catholic Mass. Do people fully understand the use and symbolism of incense during the liturgical celebrations? Do the traditional use of incense offers some opportunities or challenges in the Church liturgical rites? The purpose of this study is to investigate, stimulate and sensitize the Church and all the Christian faithful of the symbolism of incense which have become optional or none use and to take effective action in reclaiming the lost symbolism and proper use of incense. Perhaps a better understanding of the traditional use of incense may help or enhance the use and importance of the symbolism of incense in our liturgical celebrations. Maybe some elements found in the traditional use of incense, the Sacred Scripture and the Church’s practice may enrich and recover the lost symbolism of incense. And may be by organizing Liturgical Seminars/workshops to seminarians and young religious in formation houses it may address the essential elements in the way incense is use.
Authors and Affiliations
James Ekanem, SDB
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP704315
- DOI 10.47191/ijsshr/v4-i12-39
- Views 83
- Downloads 0
Jigsaw Type Cooperative Learning Model Implementation to Improve Poetry Writing Ability of Eight Grade Students at SMP Negeri 14 Seram Bagian Timur, Indonesia
This study aims to improve the poetry writing ability of eight grade at SMP Negeri 14 Seram Bagian Timur using the jigsaw type cooperative learning model. The research data form poetry writing ability test results in eac...
Impaction of Racism and Nepotism in Nation Building
Racism and nepotism can negatively impact nation building by creating divisions and inequalities within a society. Racism can lead to discrimination and marginalization of certain groups, which can lead to social unrest...
Comparing the Depiction of Love in English and Indonesian Proverbs: An Analysis Using Cognitive Semantics and the Contrastive Method
This study delves into the intricate realm of human emotions, specifically exploring the concept of love as depicted in proverbs from two culturally distinct languages: English and Indonesian. This study utilized a cogni...
Hassan Al-Banna and His Modern Political Islam
Since the foundation of the Muslim Brotherhood in 1928, the movement has had a formidable political perspective combined with Islamic teachings. Regrettably, a critical aspect of political Islam rarely occurs or is inade...
Contribution of Motivating Factors on Academic Performance of Senior Secondary School Students in South- West Nigeria
The paper examined the contribution of motivating factors such as school climate, school physical facilities, school principal’s leadership style, teachers’ influence, school curriculum implementation, instructional mate...