In Orthodox tradition, Mother Mary and the virgin birth of Christ are expressed through rich typologies in Christian tradition. I earlier tried to cover some of them in my Channel (link below).

Each typology reveals an aspect of the mystery of the Incarnation.One profound typology is that of Mother Mary as the Golden Censer. Sharing an Icon of Mother as the Golden censer. Her womb is called the holy censer because it bore the living burning coal —Christ Himself.

Though its a familar typology in Orthodox church, I found this imagery recently in the readings of Feast of Dormition.

Here are three of them,Malayalam: “നിർമ്മലകന്യകയുടെ പരിശുദ്ധ ഗർഭപാത്രമാകുന്ന പാവനധൂപകലശത്തിൽ വയ്ക്കപ്പെടുകയും”.

English: Christ was placed in the holy censer, which is the pure womb of the VirginEvening Ethro , Dormition of Mother Mary

Another one says,

“സംയോജിപ്പിന്റെ ധൂപമായിത്തീർണ സ്വർണചെപ്പേ”.“O golden censer, who became the incense of union…” (Night Sedra, Dormition of Mother Mary)

Another connect her with the High Priesthood of Christ.

സ്വർഗീയ മഹാപുരോഹിതന്റെ നിർമ്മല ധൂപകലശമേ! സമാധാനം”.

English:“O pure censer of the heavenly High Priest! Peace.” (Sedra reading, Dormition of Mother Mary.)

This icon of Theotokos as the Golden Censer proclaims Mary not only as the vessel but also Christ as the fragrance of life (msheeho, reeho hayutso)

As St Ephrem says, When eaten as the Bread of Life, Christ pervades whole of the believer’s being. When inhaled as the Fragrance of Life, Christ again penetrates throughout the believer.(Thoughts from Hymns on Nativity and Virginity) ജീവൻ്റെ സുഗന്ധമായി ശ്വസിക്കുമ്പോൾക്രിസ്തു വീണ്ടും വിശ്വാസിയിലുടനീളം വ്യാപിക്കുന്നു.

So too, in contemplating Mary as the Golden Censer, we see her not only as the vessel of divine fire but as the one who offers Christ, the life-giving fragrance, to the world.May this image invite us to breathe in Christ, who fills all creation with the fragrance of life.

Fr. Rijo Geevarghese

Diocese of Ahmedabad

Sopana Orthodox Academy