Do Catholics Smell Funny?

dorpus · #1 May 11, '12, 12:51 pm

The candles they burn at church seem to get into your clothes and survive the laundry. Yesterday, I went to a Theology on Tap event and noticed when I sat down that I smell candles. I recognized it because I had just been to an adoration mass the night before.

bearer · #2 May 11, '12, 1:09 pm

The only Catholics I've known to smell funny don't bathe regularly. Could be that the folks you're talking about were at church before coming out to TOT. Could be that the scent of candles gets into your sinuses and lingers. That happens quite a bit to me with other scents.

**Holly3278** · #3 May 11, '12, 1:43 pm

I have never noticed the smell of candles on my clothing. I have never noticed the smell of incense on them either but I do love the smell of incense.

Marchmain1987 · #4 May 11, '12, 1:51 pm

I think it depends.

1. Our parish’s church is small, so when incense is used (Easter and other “special” times) the fragrance and smoke tend to linger. I noticed the clothes I wore to the Easter Vigil smelled like incense the next day. In larger churches, I think this isn’t a problem (if it really is a problem).

2. I only use beeswax candles for devotional purposes and they do have a strong (wonderful) scent. The scent does linger too. But goes away within a few hours.

cjmclark · #5 May 11, '12, 1:58 pm

The only smell I really remember as lingering is that of the Oil of Chrism after a Baptism. I could smell that stuff for days, even after we bathed my son.

Elizium23 · #6 May 11, '12, 2:05 pm

The cassocks I wear tend to have a pleasant odor about them. I do not know if it is candles, incense, laundry, or a combination of the three. It is possible that the albs worn by the girls smell of their perfume, but I can assure you that I have never checked.

Hokomai · #7 May 11, '12, 2:49 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elizium23

The cassocks I wear tend to have a pleasant odor about them. I do not know if it is candles, incense, laundry, or a combination of the three. It is possible that the albs worn by the girls smell of their perfume, but I can assure you that I have never checked.

Samson01 · #8 May 11, '12, 2:56 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cjmclark

The only smell I really remember as lingering is that of the Oil of Chrism after a Baptism. I could smell that stuff for days, even after we bathed my son.

Yep... went into a store after my confirmation and the women in front of me started talking about church. Can't miss that smell.