Silver, Ethiopia, 1700-1850

Censer, square, on pierced base, the cover pierced, arched and surmounted with a foliated cross. Chains for suspension, to which twenty bells are attached. Openwork pattern with overlapping wheels.

Received from Messers C & E Emmanuel, 1 Burlington Gardens. 19 March 1870

The Eastern Churches
The history of the church around and beyond the eastern Mediterranean is complex. The earliest eastern churches were established in Antioch, Alexandria and other cities in the 1st century. They were independent communities and theological controversy sharpened their differences.

In 330 Constantinople (now Istanbul) became the capital of the Roman empire. Successive bishops of Constantinople, later given the title of patriarch, gradually won authority over other eastern churches, despite the opposition of the pope. Churches that accepted the jurisdiction of the patriarch became known as Orthodox, but others, including those of Armenia and Ethiopia, developed along separate lines. Diversity of practice and doctrine in the eastern churches is reflected in the different kinds of regalia and sacred silver. Yet some forms such as the chalice are common to all, indicating a shared core of beliefs.

A censer is used to burn incense, a mixture of gum arabic (resin from an acacia tree) and fragrance. Incense has been used since ancient times to symbolise the prayers of the faithful rising to God. It is placed on hot charcoal in the bowl of the censer, and as the censer is swung to and fro on chains, the smoke billows outwards and upwards to perfume the whole church.

This censer comes from an Ethiopian Orthodox church and its bells symbolise the Elders surrounding God in the Revelation of St John, the final book in the Bible.

The Ethiopian church was part of the Coptic church until 1959, when it became fully independent.

62-1870