Censer 6th century Byzantine Censers were swung during church services, usually by deacons, releasingthe sweet perfume of the incense that burned on hot coals within the vessel. The medallions on the long chains would have made changing patterns of light and dark as the censer was moved around the altar and over the Gospels and Eucharistic vessels. The large openwork medallion at the top is decorated with a variant of the Christogram, a monogram composed of the first two letters of Christs name in Greek, chi (X) and rho (P).. Censer 472757