Censers/Thuribles QUESTION from Judy November 17, 2001
Can the censer/thurible used in the Roman Rite have bells, or is this just for the Byzantine Rite?
ANSWER by Mr. Jacob Slavek on November 29, 2001
Dear Mrs. Watson,
I don't believe their exists any instruction on how a thurible is to be constructed, so I can't say that it would be wrong to have bells in the Roman Rite.
With that having been said, though, I think that it is important to say that bells on the thurible does not exist in our liturgical tradition, as it does in the Byzantine Rite. Traditionally, in the Roman Rite, a thurible is constructed with four chains that hit against the side of the censer to produce noise, which alerts the faithful to whatever action is being done. I think that most priests that are striving for a most authentic Liturgy would use this tradition rather than add bells.
Mr. Slavek
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