in the catholic religion at a funeral the priest swings a ball on a chain over the body- what is that called??

Answer 1

It is called a Thurible or Censer.

Here is a nice site that explains utinsils used in church with pictures: http://stbrigids-kilbirnie.com/Pages/mass-2.html

Incense has been used to accompany and symbolize prayer in Judaism and Christianity for thousands of years.

In the Old Testament, God mandates the use of incense in Jewish worship:

"For burning incense you shall make an altar of acacia wood, ... "On it Aaron shall burn fragrant incense. Morning after morning, when he prepares the lamps, and again in the evening twilight, when he lights the lamps, he shall burn incense. Throughout your generations this shall be the established incense offering before the LORD. (Exodus 30:1-9)

Aaron makes an offering of incense:

"Thus shall Aaron offer up the bullock, his sin offering, to atone for himself and for his family. When he has slaughtered it, he shall take a censer full of glowing embers from the altar before the LORD, as well as a double handful of finely ground fragrant incense, and bringing them inside the veil, 3 there before the LORD he shall put incense on the fire, so that a cloud of incense may cover the propitiatory over the commandments; else he will die. (Leviticus 16:12-13)

See also Numbers 7:13-17.

And in the New Testament, the Magi bring frankincense, a type of incense, as an offering to Christ himself:

Then they opened their treasures and offered him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11)

John the Baptist's father, Zechariah makes an offering of incense in the Temple sanctuary:

Once when he was serving as priest in his division's turn before God, according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. (Luke 1:8-12)

John describes an angel with a golden censer offering large amounts of incense before the throne of God:

Another angel came and stood at the altar, holding a gold censer. He was given a great quantity of incense to offer, along with the prayers of all the holy ones, on the gold altar that was before the throne. The smoke of the incense along with the prayers of the holy ones went up before God from the hand of the angel. (Revelation 8:3-4)

In modern use, incensing is a symbol of purification and sanctification.

Incense may be used during the Mass during:
+ The entrance procession
+ The beginning of Mass, to incense the altar
+ The procession and proclamation of the Gospel
+ The offertory, to incense the offerings, altar, priest and people
+ The elevation of the Sacred Host and chalice of Precious Blood after the consecration

During funeral Masses, the priest may incense the coffin as a sign
+ Of honor to the body of the deceased which became the temple of the Holy Spirit at Baptism
+ Of the faithful’s prayers for the deceased rising to God

"Let my prayer come like incense before you." (Psalm 141)

For more information, see: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07716a.htm and http://landru.i-link-2.net/shnyves/incense_offering.htm
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ANSWERS/INCENSE.htm
http://www.usccb.org/liturgy/current/revmissalisromanien.shtml

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

It's called a 'thurible', a sort of lantern-type object in which incense is burned. The thurible contains a spice that, when lit with a blame, gives off a strong oder that consecrates the body.

Smoke will protrude from the thurible when lit. At a funeral (thuribles are also used at other ceremonies as well), all those praying over the deceased wish their prayers to rise up to heaven just like the smoke from the thurible.

Answer 3

i'm particular that God has duly observed your opinion. right this is the information: Adam, a guy, substitute into on the whole in charge for guy's fall from grace. Ever when you consider that, that's been the accountability of the male to artwork to repair that rift. all of the previous testomony patriarchs acted as clergymen, offering sacrifices to God. women have been in no way authorised to take action function. while God ordered Moses and Aaron to verify the previous testomony Priesthood, each priest, over a era of a few 1500 years, substitute into male. Jesus, the recent Adam, and our heavenly extreme Priest, is in charge for our redemption. under the recent Covenant, male Catholic clergymen furnish sacrifice to God for the persons. Jesus is a guy. Catholic clergymen are adult adult males. God had assorted opportunities to make women clergymen, in the time of the two the previous and new testaments, yet he in no way did, regardless of the availabilty of many good and holy women. hence, the Church reserves the sacrament of Holy Orders in user-friendly terms to adult males who're called to the artwork by God. when you consider that clergymen additionally act as "stand-ins for Jesus" in many sacramental and liturgical purposes, ordaining lady clergymen might in user-friendly terms further confuse the problem of the Almighty's male gender. do no longer plan on seeing women clergymen interior the Catholic Church, any time quickly.

Answer 4

The 'ball' is called a 'censer' ... it's filled with frankinscense that is to help 'purify' the body ... and it also takes the 'bad smell' away ... in ancient times there was no way to 'preserve' the body, so it started to 'stink' ... and the frankinscense did 'help the smell.'

Answer 5

Incense, the prayers of the faithful are lifted to heaven with the smoke.

Answer 6

It is an ancient ritual. It has incense in there.

They also sprinkle holy water to purify the body.

Answer 7

The object he is swinging is called a thurible. It holds incense.

Answer 8

Its incense to purify the body and negativity to make it holy

Answer 9

I don't know but I know he's sprinkling holy water around the coffin or it could be one of those smokey balls to bring the spirit to a relaxing prey.

Answer 10

It's called a "thurible". Pronounced "THUR-a-bull"

Picture: http://www.holytrinityamblecote.org.uk/images/Trinitysymbol/Thurible.gif