The Mystery of Holy Unction (Soborovanie) #
A Christian places his full trust in the Lord, attributing both health and illness to His saving providence. Yet the desire to preserve health, and to restore it when lost, is natural to all people, including Christians. The body is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and caring for it is a natural human responsibility.
For the sake of the sick, the Church has even established a special sacrament: Holy Unction, or soborovanie. The word “elei” means “oil” — the prayers during this sacrament are accompanied by the anointing of the sick with consecrated oil. Another, more popular name for this sacrament is soborovanie, which comes from the custom of it being celebrated by a sobor (assembly) of seven priests. However, the number may be fewer — even a single priest may perform the rite without affecting its sacramental validity.
“Is any sick among you? 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.”
(Epistle of St. James the Apostle)
Among the people, there exists a superstition that soborovanie is the “last rite” before death, and that one who recovers afterward is, in a sense, no longer counted among the living. On the contrary, the sacrament of Holy Unction was established precisely for the purpose of healing, and many who were near death have been raised up by it to life.
To celebrate Holy Unction, the following items are placed on a table: the Holy Cross, the Gospel book, and a dish of wheat. Seven candles are placed into the wheat, symbolizing the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, along with seven cotton-wrapped sticks for the anointing. Also in the wheat — or placed on the table — are vessels containing oil and wine. The image of the wheat inspires hope in the sick: in this withered-looking grain lies the beginning of life, which can in time sprout forth — and likewise, in a body withered by illness lies the seed of life, which, by God’s will, may blossom both in this life and in the age to come after the general judgment and resurrection. The sick person is anointed with oil and wine — just as, in the parable told by Christ, the Good Samaritan treated the man’s wounds by pouring in oil and wine (Luke 10:34).
The number seven holds special significance in this sacrament: it is performed by seven priests; seven Gospel readings, seven apostolic epistles, and seven prayers are read — all asking that the sick person be loosed from sins and healed of illness; the anointing takes place seven times. The number seven is found in many sacred events. In the Old Testament, the mighty walls of Jericho fell after the Ark of the Covenant was carried around them seven times. Likewise, the stronghold of bodily illness should be overcome after a spiritual “encircling” of the sickbed, through sevenfold readings from the Gospel and Epistles, seven prayers, and seven anointings.
During the sacrament, a prayer service (moleben) is sung for the healing and forgiveness of the sick. The consecration of the oil includes a great litany, a prayer, and troparia sung in honor of the Savior, the Mother of God, and the saints. The anointing follows each reading from the Gospel and Epistles and the corresponding prayer. At each anointing, the priest says:
“The blessing of the Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ, for the healing of soul and body, be upon the servant of God (name), now and ever.”
After the anointing, he recites the prayer:
“Holy Father, Physician of souls and bodies…”
At the end of Holy Unction, the priest places the opened Gospel book upon the head of the sick person — as if it were the very hand of the Savior Himself, who so often healed through His touch — and reads the prayer of absolution.