Home Worship Items--your favorites and why.

[ByzantineDixie]

Hanging Votive Lamp or Standing?

Beeswax votives or tapers?

Censor?

Charcoal (need lots of advice on this)?

Incense?

Favorite place to buy these things?


Thanks so much...have just need to add a final few things to add to my icon corner!

[Michael the Iconographer]

My lampada (uses candles) and the persian rug in my icon corner, and all my hand written icons, and of course, my incense.

[Vasya Davidovich]

Hanging Votive Lamp or Standing?

Beeswax votives or tapers?
Beeswax burns better than paraffin, and is less toxic. Plus, it smells wonderful.

Oil lampadas are also lovely, and, as a bonus, you can annoint yourself with oil that was burning before an icon.
Censor?

Charcoal (need lots of advice on this)?

Incense?
Why not? If you have icons, that is.

The best kind of charcoal is the hockey pucks that are sold through liturgical supply stores. Chances are good that your priest uses them, and can direct you to a source.
Favorite place to buy these things?
Wherever's convenient would be my suggestion.

[Michael the Iconographer]

Eastern Christian supply is a good source.

[eoe]

As far as charcoal goes I really like THIS. (http://www.monasteryproducts.org/product_info.php?cPath=10&products_id=923&osCsid=cb1bb9be5bc4777a30d4bf3bdb0e5cf0)$10.75 for 175 mini rounds that are the perfect size for home use.
I prefer tapers to votives but either way I use beeswax. (again - same source as above 1lb candles for $7.50 can't beat that with a stick)
As far as long term lighting I like olive oil lamps over candles as it s cheaper to burn oil. I run 2 small oil lamps ~16 hrs a day and when I have a special prayer I light a candle.
I use a small hand censer - the important thing is that you are able to swing it without throwing ash and hot stuff all over the place.
Incense is all over the place general rule - if it is named after a flower it is going to be super sweet smelling. Also - the more schismatic a monastery is the better their incense will be^_^

[Khaleas]

I have both a hanging lampada and a table model. I like the table model more because it holds more olive oil and burns longer. I love candles, but I like the light from a lampada even better. I just like my little corner, period. And come next weekend I have to pack it up and move it. I'm not happy about that part of the move, but it has to come with me... I just finally got it set up and it won't be as much of a corner than on a straight wall after it moves. But oh well, at least I can take my family with me... :(

[Michael the Iconographer]

I have both a hanging lampada and a table model. I like the table model more because it holds more olive oil and burns longer. I love candles, but I like the light from a lampada even better. I just like my little corner, period. And come next weekend I have to pack it up and move it. I'm not happy about that part of the move, but it has to come with me... I just finally got it set up and it won't be as much of a corner than on a straight wall after it moves. But oh well, at least I can take my family with me... :(

Yeah, I am very unhappy about the need to move my icon corner in the next week or two.

[Matrona]

I like standing lamps better than hanging ones because I can move them around. The standing ones also don't need holes in the wall. However, if you have a cat, a hanging lamp might be better (out of kitty's reach).

A bucket of sand and beeswax tapers is ideal for lighting candles for prayers. It's very difficult to get wax residue out of a votive glass.

I have a tabletop ceramic censer (thanks Photini! :) ) that burns the mini-charcoals eoe mentioned (which are wonderful). Various suppliers also sell metal ones. I don't know how those work, but you might want to check into them. When I light my charcoal, I do it over a fireproof surface because mine tends to spark and it can burn holes in your carpet if you're not careful. I had the rather distressing experience of stepping on some incense ash that had fallen on the carpet. :eek: Have a cup of water nearby whenever you're burning stuff, just in case.

I like the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension best. They sell the mini-charcoals and they are really geared towards satisfying their customers.

[Torah613]

Eastern Christian supply is a good source.

(throws hands up in air) why is it the best stuff is always sold by Schismatics?

(or am I misremembering who runs that company?)

Joe Zollars

[EricTheRed]

Because they have time to make and write stuff since they dont have to worry about running a church

[Michael the Iconographer]

(throws hands up in air) why is it the best stuff is always sold by Schismatics?

(or am I misremembering who runs that company?)

Joe Zollars

I don't have to worry about getting icons from them, I just got my lampada and some books from them. I think I know a competent iconographer. LOL!

[Torah613]

call me a stickler, but having personally barely escaped the cult like tendancies of such schismatic groups I am wary of giving any money whatsoever to them.

But sometimes your in a bind. HOCHNA for instance holds the copyright on many things from back in the day when they were obedient to ROCOR. And then there's the whole issue of hard to find saints (such as my Patron, Joseph the All-Comely) which only HOCHNA seems to have even heard of.

So sometimes one must give money to such people, but if at all possible I personally believe one should avoid it, as you can bet your bottom dollar that money is going to lure more souls into their trap.

Joe Zollars

[eoe]

It's very difficult to get wax residue out of a votive glass.
Actually it is pretty easy if you know the trick! - freeze the glass. The glass will contract and the wax pops right out! How cool is that?

I have a tabletop ceramic censer (thanks Photini! :) ) that burns the mini-charcoals eoe mentioned (which are wonderful). Various suppliers also sell metal ones. I don't know how those work, but you might want to check into them.

Metal advantage - they have a cover over the top so that when you swing it there is less chance of charcoal popping out and burning your carpet (althogh you would not be able to tell looking at my carpet - oops!)

Disadvantage - because it has something that covers the top - the resin in the smoke will condense on the metal and form a sticy layer of goop that is near impossible to clean by mechanical methods - I disassemble mine and throw it in a pit of charcoal when I burn all the stuff I have to burn (ie spent wicks, tissue I use to clean my lamps, incense that did not completely burn, flowers that I put on the icons...)

When I light my charcoal, I do it over a fireproof surface because mine tends to spark and it can burn holes in your carpet if you're not careful.
I don't know how others do it but I keep my censer half full of salt (or sand - I just don't have any sand right now...) all yo uneed to do is place the charcoal on the salt and use a long grill lighter to light one edge of the charcoal - as soon as it gets a little sparky it is effectively lit. The only probalem I have ever had is that with the self light ones - they will rarely shatter while lighting. Make sure they are in the censer as soon as possible.

I have recently switched to just using kingsford charcoal (it is what many Anglican parishes use - even in England!). I cut them up and light them on my gas stove. This way you can cut a peice that will last for 3 hours or just a short time. The small ones are great but they do not last long (30 minutes). I have a home office and I burn incense almost all day long and was going thru the small ones too quickly. If you do not mind having to take the time to light it they have less scent, are MUCH hotter and last far longer than the self lights - and you can buy them at the grocery store. Still - I really like the self lights and will probably keep them on hand.

I had the rather distressing experience of stepping on some incense ash that had fallen on the carpet. :eek: Have a cup of water nearby whenever you're burning stuff, just in case.
Probably a good idea.

I like the Monastery of the Glorious Ascension best. They sell the mini-charcoals and they are really geared towards satisfying their customers.
And in BD's and my case - they are somewhat local.

[ByzantineDixie]

Metal advantage - they have a cover over the top so that when you swing it there is less chance of charcoal popping out and burning your carpet (althogh you would not be able to tell looking at my carpet - oops!)

I had no idea this was an issue. I am glad y'all brought it up so I can do my best to avoid burning the carpet as well as the house down!

Disadvantage - because it has something that covers the top - the resin in the smoke will condense on the metal and form a sticy layer of goop that is near impossible to clean by mechanical methods - I disassemble mine and throw it in a pit of charcoal So I wonder if it would work to use the self cleaning cycle on the oven to do ths same thing?

I don't know how others do it but I keep my censer half full of salt (or sand - I just don't have any sand right now...) all yo uneed to do is place the charcoal on the salt and use a long grill lighter to light one edge of the charcoal - as soon as it gets a little sparky it is effectively lit. The only probalem I have ever had is that with the self light ones - they will rarely shatter while lighting. Make sure they are in the censer as soon as possible.

I am confused...don't you light them in the censer to begin with? Thanks for the salt/sand tip.

[kamikat]

So, are cone and stick incense not acceptable?

kamikat

[Akathist]

A bucket of sand and beeswax tapers is ideal for lighting candles for prayers. It's very difficult to get wax residue out of a votive glass..

I use voltive candles mostly in my prayer area (other than the little vigil light that also burns incense without charcoal). To clean out the wax from the glass, I put the glass in the freezer for a couple hours. The wax shrinks and falls out. What little bit remains is easily cleaned with soapy water in the sink and a little scrubby.

But I do agree that sand is easier than this process. Since my cats use a "sand" like cat box, I am relunctant to take the risk they will jump up on the top of the book case and "mark" their claim.

[eoe]

I am confused...don't you light them in the censer to begin with? Thanks for the salt/sand tip.
It is a good idea to have it in the censer already imho. It isn't rocket surgery tho^_^

So, are cone and stick incense not acceptable?
I don't think it is a matter of stick or cones being unacceptable so much as the resin incense is made specifically for this purpose. Try the liturgical incense and you will know exactly why it is preferred. If I want to scent the room I will use stick incense (shoyeido.com (http://shoyeido.com/)) but if I want to cense the house there is no substitute for liturgical incense on charcoal. There is a difference between "burning incense" and "censing". You just have to try it to understand.