Of the three gifts the wise men carried to Bethlehem, only one was bitter. Gold is for a king. Frankincense is for God. But myrrh was the spice of burial, and it was laid before a newborn Child.
The Church has always noticed this. From the very first days of His life, the Lord was offered the fragrance of His Cross. And from the manger to the tomb, myrrh follows Him through the Gospel like a quiet thread.
Today that same fragrance can fill your prayer corner. Monks on Mount Athos still knead it into small grains of incense by hand, and it has become one of the most loved incense scents in our little store.
Myrrh is a resin, gathered from a thorny tree that grows in the dry lands of Arabia and East Africa. When the bark is cut, it "weeps" drops of golden sap that harden into tears. In the ancient world it was precious. It was used in medicine, in perfume, and above all in preparing the dead for burial.
That is why its place in the Gospel is so striking. The Magi bring it to the Christ Child. On the evening of His death, Nicodemus comes to the tomb with a great weight of myrrh and aloes, and he and Joseph of Arimathea wrap the Lord's body in linen with the spices.
And early on the first day of the week, the women come with their spices to the tomb. They expect to anoint a dead body. Instead they find an empty grave and hear the words that changed the world: He is risen.
The Orthodox Church gives these women a beautiful name: the Myrrh-bearers. We keep their Sunday on the third Sunday of Pascha. They were not apostles or bishops. They were faithful women who loved the Lord, rose before dawn, and carried what they had. Because they came with myrrh, they became the first to hear the news of the Resurrection.
If you have only known sweet, flowery incense, myrrh may surprise you. It is deep, warm and resinous, with an earthy and slightly bitter edge. It does not dance in the room the way gardenia or rose does. It settles, like the hush of a church after Vespers.
Many people tell us that this is exactly why they love it. Myrrh is the scent of repentance and of sober, honest prayer. It is a good companion for the evening, for the Lenten seasons, and for the days when we carry sorrow or remember our departed. It reminds us that the way to Pascha passes through the Cross, and that bitterness offered to God does not stay bitter.
The Psalm we sing at every Vespers says it best: "Let my prayer be set forth before Thee as incense" (Psalm 140:2). The smoke rises. Our words rise with it. Incense does not replace prayer. It gives our prayer a body, a shape we can see and smell.
You do not need to be a priest to burn incense at home. In Orthodox homes the head of the household, or anyone in the family, may cense the icon corner and the rooms during evening prayer. Here is a simple way to begin:
Some families cense the home every Saturday evening, before the Lord's Day. Others do it on feast days, on name days, or when someone is ill or travelling. There is no rule except love. Choose a rhythm you can keep, and let the fragrance become part of the memory of your home.
Our Myrrh Orthodox Incense from Mount Athos is one of the steady bestsellers in the Church Icon Store. I think there are a few reasons.
First, it is real Athonite incense. It is prepared by monastic hands on the Holy Mountain, in small batches, using methods handed down for centuries. Each grain is kneaded with natural resins and aromatic oils, then dusted with fine powder so the pieces do not stick together.
Second, it comes in two traditions. You can choose the classic Mount Athos myrrh or the version from the Iveron Monastery, the home of the beloved Portaitissa icon of the Mother of God. Both come in the traditional Athonite box, small or medium.
Third, it is simple and affordable. A small box starts at just $5 CAD, so it is easy to try, easy to give, and easy to keep a spare in the prayer corner. Many customers add a box of myrrh to their order of charcoal, or tuck one into a gift for a godchild, a new family in the parish, or a friend who is grieving.
And finally, it does what incense is meant to do. It makes the home feel like a small church. When your children smell myrrh in years to come, they will remember the evenings when the family stood together before the icons.
Bring the fragrance of the Myrrh-bearers into your prayer corner this week: order your Myrrh incense from Mount Athos here. Shipping is free on orders over $70, so it is a good moment to add charcoal, candles or a second scent for your home.
Is this the same as the holy myrrh used in Chrismation?
No. Holy Chrism (Holy Myron) is a sacred oil consecrated by the Patriarch and used by the priest in the Mystery of Chrismation. This product is incense: grains made with myrrh fragrance and natural resins, burned on charcoal for prayer at home or in church.
What is the difference between the Mount Athos and Iveron Monastery versions?
Both are handmade Athonite myrrh incense with a deep, resinous scent. They are prepared in different workshops on the Holy Mountain, so each has its own subtle character. Many customers buy one small box of each to find their favourite.
