On Anointing with Oil #
What is anointing with oil? #
Anointing with oil is a Church sacrament in which the blessing of olive oil by priests and its application to the sick is performed for the healing of their illness and the forgiveness of sins.
How can it be seen that the anointing of the sick is a Church sacrament? #
A sacrament is something in which invisible grace is received through a visible sign. The fact that the anointing of the sick with consecrated oil conveys the grace of God’s compassion and mercy toward our infirmities is testified by the brother of the Lord, the Apostle James, who says: “Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15).
If sins are forgiven in the sacrament of anointing with oil, then why is the sacrament of repentance still necessary? #
All seven sacraments of the Church have the grace of the remission and cleansing of sins, yet each serves as a complement to the other. For example, Holy Baptism grants the forgiveness of sins but does not bestow such strength that we can resolutely resist the passions that assail us. Chrismation imparts the power to remain free from sin, but it does not restrain our free will, through which we often voluntarily defile ourselves in the mire of various passions. Holy Communion cleanses us from every sin, even those committed after Baptism, but without our own awareness and repentance, it can condemn us even more severely. Repentance, although it absolves us from all sins when we sincerely confess everything before God in the presence of His priest, cannot completely cleanse our hearts from hidden sins, which may remain unseen, just as the smallest specks of dust become visible only in a beam of sunlight. Due to our sinful nature, even repentance can increase our sin, as exemplified by the Pharisee’s proud prayer.
Thus, the sacrament of anointing with oil (unction) serves as the completion of all that was insufficient for our justification in other sacraments. Here, God’s grace is granted for the remission of all sins without the need for detailed confession, even for those sins of which we may have been unaware.
Therefore, this sacrament is extremely necessary for the completion of our salvation. As Simeon of Thessalonica writes, every Christian should strive to receive this sacrament, calling upon the priests of God and asking them to pray for him and anoint him with oil. It is known how many great divine gifts are contained within it: deliverance from illnesses, forgiveness of sins, the weapon of sanctification, divine strengthening, and ultimately, entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven. And let no one with ill-intentions say, “It is just oil; what power can oil derived from the olive tree have?” Yes, it is oil, but it is oil blessed through the invocation of God’s name, for where God is invoked, everything becomes divine and imbued with God’s power, especially when this invocation is performed by those consecrated by God.
Priests are such God-consecrated persons, having received God’s power through ordination. Therefore, oil blessed by priests through the invocation of God is divine and holy, filled with the divine grace of the Holy Spirit, just as the water of Baptism, though water by nature, is filled with the Spirit, cleansing souls, transforming the person, adopting them as a child of God, and making them sinless. Plain water, by its nature, can only cleanse the body from impurity and quench thirst, but holy water, along with cleansing the body, purifies the soul, sanctifies, transforms, spiritually refreshes, and adopts the person to God.
Similarly, common myrrh brings fragrance and delight to the senses, whether it is applied or simply held. But holy myrrh breathes divine life, especially reviving and renewing the spirit, filling us with the fragrance of its gifts, and sealing us with the breath of grace in Christ—the living myrrh. It is not like ordinary myrrh but has become holy myrrh through sacred rites, containing within it the grace of the Spirit. In the same way, this oil is holy oil, filled with divine power through the sanctity of the sacrament. As it anoints physically, it enlightens and sanctifies souls, strengthens both physical and spiritual powers, heals wounds, eradicates illnesses, cleanses from the impurity of sin, and has the power to grant us God’s mercy and propitiate Him (part 1, ch. 356, p. 377).
Is the sacrament of anointing with oil to be performed only before death, or also at the onset of illness? #
It is appropriate to perform this sacrament at the onset of illness, as it is in this sacrament that God grants not only the forgiveness of sins but also healing from the illness, provided that the prayer is offered with faith and is pleasing to God.
The Apostle James says: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church.” Can a single priest perform the sacrament of anointing with oil? #
Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica writes: “The Brother of the Lord does not specify the number of priests, but it is customary to call seven, which I believe corresponds to the sevenfold gifts of the Spirit, as enumerated by Isaiah (Isaiah 11:2)… Others, due to the lack of seven, call only three, and this should not be criticized—this is due to the power of the Trinity… But there is no need to delve too deeply into the question of numbers… In cases where there is a shortage of priests, fewer than three may be called upon. In locations where only one priest is available, it is not forbidden for him alone to perform the sacrament of anointing with oil, as this is even indicated in the guidance provided by the ordination documents. In any case, the gathering of a larger number of priests depends more on the faith of the one calling them, rather than on the number of priests available in that place. The person calling more priests wishes to increase his own faith and their prayer, so that he might more easily receive the mercy he seeks from God.”
Can the anointing with oil be repeated? #
Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica states: “The anointing can be performed at any time, not just once; for it is said: ‘Confess your sins to one another’—clearly, at any time, not just once—and ‘pray for one another, that you may be healed’—not just once, but continuously, because we continuously fall into sin” (Part 1, Chapter 252, p. 368).
Can those who have been healed through the sacrament of anointing with oil enter into lawful marriage, and can those who are already married continue their marital life? #
Those who are unmarried can enter into lawful marriage, and those who are married can continue their lawful marital cohabitation after being healed through the sacrament of anointing with oil, without any hindrance. For the Holy Apostle Paul instructs: “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment” (Romans 12:3). Nowhere is it written that the sacrament of anointing with oil dissolves marriage, and therefore, no one can claim or should assert such a thing.
What is done with the remaining holy oil after the anointing? #
It is preserved with reverence. If the person anointed with it passes away, the remaining oil is poured onto their remains during burial. If the person survives, the oil is either burned in a lamp before holy icons, or the priest may use it for anointing the baptized with oil. Some, who are healed through the anointing, also reverently keep the oil as a great sacred relic until their death.