Smoke and fragrances rising up everywhere
Periodically as you walk the busy streets and markets in Egypt, you will see a man waving some coals inside a shop or restaurant. He leaves behind a strong perfumed smoke that lingers on.
Who is this?
He is known as the incense man! Usually each area has a famous man, and he will do the rounds of shops, markets and homes as requested. He receives a small payment for his services. In the past, it was the Dervishes (a member of the Sufi, religious order who has taken vows of poverty and austerity) who used to perform this function. But now it seems to be a person selected by the community. Often this job is handed-down within a particular family. He will usually whisper some religious phrases and words of blessing as he walks around and disperses the fragrant smoke.
What is he burning?
The coals are burning incense, or Boukhoor as it is called in Arabic. These can be fragrant sticks of incense bought from a spice seller in the market (el Ataar), or in powder form, or even the more expensive little rocks of spices bought from Saudi Arabia, which are said to be the best. They come in a variety of fragrances: strawberry, jasmine, and even frankincense.
Why does he do this?
It is believed that incense helps chase the evil spirits away (evil eye) and at the same time it brings blessings on the house or shop (good luck, wealth, love etc). It is a form of spiritual cleansing. In ancient Egypt the reasons were both medical and religious, and large quantities of incense were burned every day throughout Egypt in the temples. In those times, a lot of the fragrances and ingredients for the incense were brought from far and wide, and an odour was selected that was thought to please the gods. The incense would have been made up from flowers, herbs, roots, gums, resins and woods: anything with a strong aroma.
How often does this happen?
Apparently is it usual to do this on a Friday. Many women will do this in their homes. In shops and markets it is might even be done daily. The incense man will usually do this in the morning, as it will clear the evil for the day, and bring blessings on the shops and markets for that day. An old wives’ tale says that angels gather where the smell is the sweetest!
In Coptic churches
Incense is used liberally in orthodox church services. They believe that incense represents the prayers and praises of the saints and angles. So incense is burned in churches as an introduction to, and preparation for, the prayers and praises to follow during the service. 5 spoonfuls of incense are used in the censer, to represent the 5 righteous men who burned pleasing aromas to God.
So as you walk around, in churches, homes, markets, shops and restaurants, you will breathe in the pleasing and heady aromas of freshly burnt incense. Remember to speak out a blessing on the country and her people as you pass by.