RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA
Incense
In Ccena Domini
blesses the incense when putting it into the thurible, except on Good Friday and when he is about to
incense exclusively the blessed sac-
3. Ritual rament. Three blessings of the incense
of Incense, occur during the ceremonies of the
solemn mass: (1) before the introit; (2) before the chanting of the Gospel; (3) after the offertory. In the service for the dead this last is the only one. When the liturgical office is solemnly chanted, incense is blessed in lauds at the Benedictus, and in vespers at the Magnificat, and in each case the altar is incensed and afterward the celebrant and the other officiating ministers. The incensing of persons occurs three times during the solemn high mass: (1) the celebrant is incensed by the deacon after the introit; (2) the same after the chanting of the Gospel; (3) after the offertory the deacon incenses the celebrant, then, in order of dignity, the prelates and other members of the clergy occupying places in the sanctuary, and finally the subdeacon, after which one of the inferior ministers incenses in globo the congregation of the faithful. The number of swings of the thurible is regulated by the ritual with reference to the greater or less canonical dignity of the persons or things incensed. Thus, e.g., three swings are prescribed for the blessed sacrament exposed, and for the cross on the altar; also for the celebrant, cardinals or bishops present in the sanctuary. Two strokes are allotted to lesser ecclesiastical dignitaries and to sacred relics exposed on the altar, while the ordinary priest present in the sanctuary receives but one. All persons incensed must be standing. For further particulars in this connection see the Bituale Romanum and the Ceremoniale Episcoporum (1, I., xxiii. n. 3 et passim).
James F. Driscoll. During the last half century the use of incense has been to some extent restored in the Anglican communion, where it caused a violent and acrimonious controversy. The Catholic Apostolic Church also employs it (see this work, ii. 459).
Bibliography: On I.: The earlier literature ia given in Hauck-Herzog, BE, xvi. 404. Consult the commentaries on the passages cited in the text; J. Wellhausen, Prolegomena, pp. 64 sqq., Berlin, 1895; Benzinger, Archaologie, pp. 401-402, 444-445; Nowack, Archaologie, ii. 246-247 ; DB, ii. 467-648; EB,il 2165-2169; JE, vi.56S-571. On II.: Bingham, Origines, VIII., vi. 21; C. de Vert, Explication . des ceremonies de I'eglise, iv. 52 sqq., Paris, 1713; P. Lebrun, Explication . de la messe, i. 146 sqq., ib., 1726; N. S. Bergier, Dictionnaire de theologie, ii. 422 sqq., Besancon, 1830; Baltimore Ceremonial, Philadelphia, 1894; Migne, Encyclopedia theologique, 1 ser., xv. 1166 sqq.; DC A, i. 830-831; Lichtenberger, ESR, iv. 415-416.
INCEST: Sexual intercourse between those who are allied by ties of consanguinity or affinity. Canon law followed in this field in the track of the Roman law, though with various modifications. With the Mosaic law in mind, a distinction was made between incestus juris divini, the violation of the prohibitions contained in Lev. xviii. and xx., and incestus juris humani, the violation of other laws on the subject. Another distinction is made between incestus simplex and qualificatus or conjunctus, the latter being where it is complicated by the addition of some other crime, such as adultery or bigamy. Punishments for this offense
became more severe under the later Roman imperial law (Cod. Theod. iii. 12; Cod. Justin, v. 5). Section xii. of Justinian's Novellce prescribes that both men and women guilty of it shall forfeit their property, and those of a higher station shall be banished. The specific cases became more numerous under the canon law, which treated affinity on the same footing with consanguinity, and even regarded the spiritual affinity contracted by joint sponsorship in baptism as an impediment to marriage. Special attention was paid to the provisions of the Mosaic law, as by the third Synod of Aries (538), the Synod of Tours (567), and in numerous passages of the Pseudo-Isidorian Decretals. In all these places incestuous offenders are treated as personce infames, who lose their civil rights and must undergo penance, while, of course, the connection itself must be dissolved in the absolutely inadmissible cases. Gratian shows his agreement with this conception by including the authorities referred to in his Decretum. The more minute later treatment of the question may be seen in Ferraris's Bibliotheca canonica, s.v. Luxuria. In the Middle Ages the punishment of incest, as of other sins of the flesh, was partly regulated by the Church, partly by the civil government. As the latter gradually came to take a more independent line, it followed the principles of the Roman law; thus, for example, the penal ordinance of Charles V in 1532 points to the punishments of that code, though in practise they were gradually mitigated.
(E. Feiedbeeg.)
Bibliography: Bingham, Origines, XVI., xi. 3-4, XXII., ii. 3; J. Freisen, Geschichte des kanonischen Eherechts, pp. 575 sqq., Tubingen, 1888; KL, vi. 629.
IN CCENA DOMINI: A papal bull issued annually on Holy Thursday for several centuries, famous in European history as formulating the condemnation of numerous heresies. According to ancient custom, on certain days proceedings were instituted and excommunication pronounced in the Church against persons obstinately disobedient. Such days were the Thursday in Holy Week, Ascension Day, and the festival of SS. Peter and Paul. The first seems to have been the most usual; it was dies indulgentice, the day on which penitents were received again into the Church, and thus the excommunication of the impenitent made a proportionately stronger impression. The excommunication of Henry IV. by Paschal II. was pronounced on that day in 1102, and that of Frederick II. by Gregory IX. in 1227. These acts were directed against individuals; but in the thirteenth century the so-called " general proceedings " became customary at Rome, and on Thursday before Easter whole classes of persons were excommunicated. These proceedings were aimed especially at heretics; and the proclamations issued at various times against them were combined into one decree by Nicholas II. in 1280. Later popes, especially Urban V. in 1364, made use of and revised this collection, to which additions were made from time to time, especially after the reforming movements of the fifteenth century. Luther and his adherents were included in 1524. Supplementary condemnations were appended by Paul III. (1536), Pius V.
Inchofer India