Incense has been used since early human history for both spiritual and practical purposes. Many ancient societies used incense in religious rituals because they believed the pleasant smells had healing properties and connected them to the divine. For a long time, frankincense from Arabia was a highly valuable commodity traded across the world. While incense use declined temporarily in some Western Christian churches, it has remained an important part of rituals for the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Today, incense takes forms like powdered resins and woods that produce fragrant smoke, carrying symbolic meanings of prayer and purity.