Incense burned on hot coals within the vessel of the censer as a deacon swung and wafted the sweet smelling holy smoke into the church during liturgical processions. The medallions along the three long chains would have interacted with light as it moved around the space, creating visceral changing patterns of light and dark to the congregation. The large medallion at the top is a variant of the Christogram, which is a monogram symbol for Christ, consisting of the Greek letters chi (Χ) and rho (Ρ), the first two letters of Christ’s name.

—Winton Petty

Catalogue Record, Metropolitan Museum of Art