Great and Holy Wednesday: The Divine Sacrament of Holy Oil (Unction)

My beloved spiritual children in Christ Our Only True God and Our Only True Savior,
CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE. Ο ΧΡΙΣΤΟΣ ΕΝ ΤΩ ΜΕΣΩ ΗΜΩΝ! ΚΑΙ ΗΝ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΣΤΑΙ.

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ON GREAT AND HOLY WEDNESDAY: THE DIVINE SACRAMENT OF HOLY OIL (UNCTION)

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PRAYER OF THE OIL

Priest:

O Lord Who, in Thy mercies and bounties, healest the disorders of our souls and bodies; Do Thou, the same Master, sanctify this Oil, that it may be effectual for those who shall be anointed there with, unto hearing, and unto relief from every passion, every malady of the flesh and of the spirit, and every ill; and that therein may be glorified Thy Most Holy Name, of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and to the Ages of Ages. Amen.

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THE ESSENCE OF THE MYSTERION (SACRAMENT)

The Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Unction (Oil) is a sacred action in which, while the body is anointed with holy oil, the Grace of God which heals infirmities of soul and body, is called down upon a sick person (Longer Catechism, p. 65). It is performed by a gathering of Presbyters (Priests), ideally seven in number; however, it can be performed by a lesser number and even by a single Priest.

The Divine Institution of the Mysterion (Sacrament)

Even in Old Testament times, oil signified Grace, joy, a softening, a bringing to life. Anointment of the sick with oil was done by the Holy Apostles, as we read in the Evangelist Mark (6:13): They "anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them."

The clearest testimony of the Mystery (ion)Sacrament of Holy Unction is to be found in the Apostle James (5:14-15): "Is any sick among you? Let him call for the elders (Presbyters or Priests) 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." The Holy Apostle speaks here not of special "gift" of healing: rather he prescribes the sacred action in a definite form, which was to enter into the tradition of the Church: the performance of it by the Presbyters of the Church, prayers, anointment; and he joins to this, as its consequence, the easing of bodily illness and the forgiveness of sins.

One cannot understand the words of the Holy Apostle James about anointment with oil as referring to a usual healing method of those times, since oil, with all its beneficial attributes, is not a means of healing against every disease. The Holy Apostle did not introduce anything of themselves, but they taught only what the Lord Jesus Christ had commanded them, and what the Holy Spirit had inspired in them; and they called themselves not the "institutors" of the Mysteries (Sacraments) of God, but only the "stewards" of the Mysteries (Sacraments) and the "servants of Christ." Consequently, there are testimonies of Holy Unction (Oil) in Saint Irenaeus of Lyons and in Origen. Later there are clear testimonies of it in Sts. Basil the Great and John Chrysostom, who have left prayers for the healing of the infirm which entered later Into the rite of Holy Unction; and likewise in Saint Cyril of Alexandria. In the 5th Century, Pope Innocent I answered a series of questions concerning the Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Unction, indicating in his answers that:

a)     it should be performed "upon believers who are sick";

b)      it may be performed also by a bishop, since one should not see in the words of the Apostle, "let him call for the Presbyters," any prohibition for a bishop to participate in the sacred action;

c)     this anointment may not be performed "on those undergoing ecclesiastical penance," because it is a "Mystery," and "to those who are forbidden the other Mysteries (Sacraments), how can one allow only one?"

This Mystery (Sacrament) is performed on the sick who are capable of receiving it consciously and participating in prayer for themselves; however, it may also be performed on children. The place of this sacred action may be either the church or the dwelling (home) where the sick person is. The Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Unction (Efchelaion or Euchelaion) is usually concluded with the Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Communion (Holy Eucharist).

The visible side of the Mystery (Sacrament) comprises seven anointings of the sick person with oil by the participating Priests in order; this is done in the form of a cross on the forehead, the nostrils, the cheeks, the lips, the chest, and both sides of the hands, accompanied by prayers and by the reading of specific passages in the Epistles and Gospels (Seven Epistles, Seven Gospels and Seven Prayers on the Oil). During the anointing itself, Seven times this prayer is pronounced:  

"O Holy Father, Physician of souls and bodies, Who healeth every infirmity and delivereth from death: Heal also Thy servant (name)," and so forth.

The Rite of Holy Unction (Euchelaion) begins with the chanting of troparia (hymns) and a canon; the final prayer in the Rite is a prayer of remission of sins. A whole assembly of servants of the Lord stand before Him on behalf of the sick person, and by the prayer of faith on behalf of the whole Church entreat Him, the Most Merciful One, to grant to the infirm one the remission of transgressions and to purify his conscience from every defilement. There is also kept in mind the fact that a person who has grown weak in body and soul is not always capable of offering the proper confession of his sins. This lightening of the conscience of the one who receives the Mystery (Sacrament) of Holy Unction opens the way also for a Grace-giving healing of his bodily infirmity through the prayer of faith.

There is allowed and sometimes practiced a special rite of Unction, which is performed in church on many persons at the same time, on a special day assigned for this (i.e., Great and Holy Wednesday) for the general healing of infirmities of soul and body; but this rite is not precisely identical to the Mystery of Unction. [In this rite, usually performed in the evening of Passion Wednesday, as if in preparation for our Lord's death and burial, all present come forward to be anointed by each of the seven (or fewer) Priests. The rite is identical to that of the Mystery of Holy Unction, except that if there are many people (and seven Priests), the anointing may be performed all together at the end of the divine service, instead of after each reading of the Gospel, to the accompaniment of a repeated refrain to a special Lenten melody: "Hearken to us, O Lord; hearken to us, O Master; hearken to us, O Holy One."] (Source: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology by Protopresbyter Michael Pomazansky)

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Please note: The Mysterion (Sacrament) of Holy Unction will be offered both at the conclusion of the divine service this afternoon which begins at 4:30 p.m. as well as the Matins (Orthros) of Great and Holy Thursday which begins at 7:00 p.m.

Again all the Orthodox Christian believers must approach the Holy Mystery with humility, contrition of heart and most of all faith. The Sacrament will be not be offered to non-Orthodox Christians.

Please make sure that you know your Baptismal Orthodox Christian name when you approach the priest.

Also, the Sacrament will not be given to anyone who may want to anoint a relative or a friend. If there is someone who could not be at the sacraments for a good reason, you may bring it to the attention of your priest and he will visit that person and offer him/her the sacrament.

KALI ANASTASI! GLORIOUS RESURRECTION!

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"Glory Be To GOD For All Things!"--Saint John Chrysostom

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With sincere agape in His Holy Diakonia,
The sinner and unworthy servant of God

+Father George