Holy Cross Incense was established in 1995 by the monks of the Hermitage of the Holy Cross. Continuing a centuries-old tradition, we make and sell incense to help support ourselves.

Our incense is manufactured in strict accordance with the ancient Athonite tradition. We start with the dried sap of the frankincense tree. The golden yellow lumps of frankincense are ground into a powder and mixed with fragrant oils. This mixture is then rolled by hand and cut into small pieces. To prevent the incense pieces from sticking together, we dust it with powdered, all-natural, purified clay. Before the incense is ready for use in worship, it must cure for a period of time in a climate controlled environment. Because this work is part of our monastic obedience's and because of the spiritual significance of incense in Orthodox worship, we pray the Jesus prayer continually during this work.

Incense has been used in religious worship from ancient times until the present day. It was part of Hebrew Temple worship and has been used in Christian worship since the earliest days of the Church. St. John writes of its use in Heaven where.....

...incense is being offered by the angels before the throne of God (Rev. 8:3)

Like prayer, incense rises up to God during Orthodox worship, providing us sinners with a foretaste of that endless, true worship of the True God in the age to come.