English: This is a brass thurible. The top has been lowered to close over the bowl. A small brass ring at the top has been lowered over the chains to lock the top. The top is locked so that the priest and thurifer (the layperson who handles the thurible) may swing the thurible without spilling hot coals and incense. (Layperson: see laity)

In this photo, there are no coals or incense, so you do not see smoke coming from the thurible. But if this were in use during a church service, there would be about four hot coals inside, and the priest would add incense at several times during the service.

The thurible hangs from three chains, and a fourth chain is attached to the top part of the thurible. The thurifer can pull this fourth chain to raise the top so that the priest may add incense to the hot coals.

See also the photo called incenseboat.jpg. The incense is carried in this brass object called a boat, or incense boat. The thurifer can carry the boat in the left hand and thurible in the right hand, or, a small boy or girl may carry this boat and stay beside the thurifer. This person is called a boat boy or boat girl. The boat boy/girl stays to the left of the thurifer, and has no other duty beyond staying at the left of the thurifer and handing the thurifer the boat when requested. Wherever the thurifer goes, the boat boy/girl must stay next to the thurifer. The thurifer will hold out a hand when he/she wants the boat. The boat boy/girl hands the boat to the thurifer and receives it when the thurifer returns it to the boat boy/girl's hand. Most boat boys/girls are very young, some as young as four years of age. They generally range four to seven years of age, but this varies church to church.

This is a photograph that I took which anyone is welcome to copy and use.

Sarum blue 21:47, 14 February 2006 (UTC)