The Consequence of Holy Elea, performed quickly (new edition)

How did the rite of anointing originate?

The ritual is very ancient. It appeared during the time of Jesus Christ’s presence in our world. While on earth, the Savior taught his followers to anoint people with blessed oil combined with wine, lay hands on their bodies and pray. In this way, the apostles, and later other true Christians, could heal those suffering from various diseases.

Vegetable oil and wine were not chosen for the ceremony by chance. In ancient times, Christians widely used them to treat various diseases and treat wounds.

At first, the sacrament of unction was performed for those people who were seriously ill and could not come to the temple on their own. Later, not only believers with physical ailments, but also other lay people began to participate in this ritual.

Initially, only olive oil was used during unction. Today, other types of vegetable oils are also used, which are mixed with a small amount of Cahors. Instead of hands, the Gospel is applied to the person’s body. In the past, the sacrament was always performed by several priests, but these days this tradition has changed. In many Orthodox churches, unction is performed by one clergyman.

History of the sacrament

Like any Sacrament of the Church, the Blessing of Oil (this is also the name of the Sacrament of Unction, from the Greek words for “oil” - “elaioa” and “mercy” - “eleos”) originates in Gospel history. Christ healed the sick and commanded the apostles to do the same. The apostles gave this gift to bishops and priests.

Already in the letter of the Apostle James we read: “Is any of you sick, let him call 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 will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him.” (James 5:14-16).

In the first centuries of Christianity, when a person was sick, priests came to him for seven days, prayed for his recovery, read the Gospel and anointed him with blessed oil. Some sick people, in order to pray over him for health in a particularly blessed place, began to be specially brought to the temple and pray there and anoint them with holy oil. This is how the order of the sacrament of Unction in the temple gradually developed.

What is the essence of unction

The name of the ritual comes from the concept of “cathedral,” which means a meeting of several clergy. Not everyone knows how to correctly emphasize the word “unction.” That is why the ritual is often called incorrectly. It is important to know that the emphasis in the word “unction” is placed on the second letter “o”.

In Orthodoxy, the Blessing of Oil symbolizes a request to the Lord to receive grace. The Church claims that the Lord himself takes part in this sacred rite, bestowing His greatest mercy on the believers. To obtain it, a person must necessarily attend the unction in person. This ritual is not performed in absentia.

Oil collection is carried out for several purposes:

• for healing from bodily ailments;
• to get rid of mental torment;
• for spiritual cleansing, remission of forgotten sins.

This sacrament is believed to have a beneficial effect on the health of a Christian. However, we must remember that physical recovery is achieved only after spiritual healing.

• There is a concept of unction performed quickly. Several clergy perform this ritual over a sick person. For healing, a short rite of blessing of oil is recited, and the patient himself must sincerely repent of his sins.
• In the past, unction took place only on Maundy Thursday and Holy Saturday. Today, the Blessing of Anointing can be held on different days. This ritual must take place during Lent, when every layman can take part in it.

Representatives of the Church urge not to consider unction only as a ritual that necessarily provides physical healing. Its main goal is much deeper - to become salvation for the soul of every believer, to teach humility and repentance. Whether the disease goes away or not depends only on God’s will. An illness can remain with a person, which means that it is given to him to get rid of passions and acquire important Christian benefactors.

Sick and healthy

There is an almost comical misconception associated with the sacrament of Unction.

If today a person with little church faith (but familiar with Russian literature) is asked to perform unction or administer unction to sick relatives, he may recoil in embarrassed fear. This is understandable: back in the 19th century, the words “have already received unction” meant “ends.” At that time, unction was given mainly to the hopelessly sick or dying - let us remember the old man Count Bezukhov from Tolstoy’s novel “War and Peace.”

But the original and main purpose of Unction is healing from illness. However, a person is sick not only with his body, but also with his soul, and many diseases of the body are consequences of illness of the soul. The soul is sick from sins (or their consequences).

Therefore, the main meaning of the sacrament of Unction is that when a person is anointed with consecrated oil (oil), the grace of God is invoked for the healing or weakening of both physical and mental illnesses, as well as the remission of sins forgotten without malicious intent.

“The power of the Sacrament of Unction lies in the fact that it especially forgives sins that are forgotten due to human weakness, and after the forgiveness of sins, bodily health is also granted, if God’s will,” wrote St. Ambrose Optinsky .

Therefore, for healthy people, especially during Great Lent - a time of special struggle against sin - Unction helps to recover in soul, gives strength not to lose heart and fight for their salvation. Hence the tradition of performing Unction during Great Lent in order to meet Easter with a “pure heart.”

Who should take part in the ritual?

All believers who have reached the age of 16 are allowed to participate in the blessing of oil. In some cases, the ritual is also performed for children over 8 years old. Children who have not yet reached their 7th birthday do not require unction, since they are considered sinless. The sacrament is necessary only for sick little ones.

There are circumstances in which unction is mandatory:

• during a serious illness. In such cases, unction can be taken at any time;
• with the possibility of imminent death. If a person is bedridden, the ceremony can take place outside the temple, at his place of residence or in a hospital. Unction is combined with confession in order to facilitate the departure of the soul from the body;
• on the eve of Lent and Advent. The sacrament is performed in the church. Those laypeople who have health problems, have lost their former faith, are in sorrow, feel old sins and are experiencing pangs of conscience should definitely attend it.

To participate in the ritual, a person must be conscious and not have clouding of mind. Pregnant laywomen who wish to receive unction can attend church without restrictions. It should be taken into account that the service lasts quite a long time and you will have to stand during it. Therefore, you should focus on your own condition and well-being. If a woman has her critical days, she is temporarily not allowed to participate in the ritual and must receive unction at another time.

There is widespread misconception regarding this ritual. Many believe that unction is carried out only for seriously ill people and before death, so they avoid it in every possible way. In fact, the sacrament of consecration of oil is necessary for both sick and physically healthy people with spiritual ailments.

The Sacrament of Unction (Blessing of Unction) in our church is performed on Fridays (at 19.00) and Saturdays (at 11.30) during the Nativity and Great Lents according to the schedule. If a person is seriously ill and cannot be present in church, Unction at home or in a hospital is possible.

You can ask any questions you may have to the priest on duty by phone: 8-495-582-94-16 or by email via the website.

Blessing of Unction

- A sacrament in which,
when anointing the body with oil
(blessed oil),
the grace of God is invoked on the sick person
, healing mental and physical infirmities.

The Sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing, like all Sacraments, was established by the Lord Himself. The apostles were the first to perform it. In the Epistle of the Apostle James we read: “If any of you is sick, let him call 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 will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5: 14-15)

.

Prayer of repentance

and the substance of the Sacrament were established by the Savior.
The oil
symbolizes spiritual and physical healing and enlightenment of a person.

The sacrament is performed by a meeting (council) of seven priests

, which is why it is also called Unction. Priests are the successors of the apostles by grace. Seven priests participate in the Sacrament as a sign of the presence of the fullness of the Church, but in case of emergency, one priest can perform Unction.

The preparatory step to the sacrament of Unction is Confession

, during which a person confesses conscious sins.
During Unction,
a person prays for forgiveness of what is forgotten and not realized, and then, already cleansed and renewed,
proceeds to the Holy Chalice
.

During the Blessing of Anointing, sevenfold anointing with oil

.
The main vital parts of the human body are anointed: forehead, nostrils, cheeks, mouth, chest and arms on both sides
. These external actions sanctify our body physically, preparing it for the future resurrection, and help a person to enlighten spiritually.

During the Unction, passages from the Apostolic Epistles are read, seven conceptions from the Gospel, as well as seven prayers for the granting of healing to the sick, a canon for the sick, troparia of a repentant nature. From the Gospel texts we can read those places where they talk about God’s love for man, about the requirements that are presented to us if we want to be healed: to forgive our enemies, to strive to make up with love what we have taken from them.

During the reading of the Gospel, the congregation stands with lit candles. The remaining candles can be placed in the temple for the health of yourself and your loved ones, or you can light them at home during prayer.

Although not the substance of the sacrament, grain also participates in the Unction as a symbol of rebirth, resurrection and hope. During the performance of the Sacrament, the grains are placed on a dish in which candles are placed. At the end of the Sacrament, grain and oil are distributed to those who have gathered. Grain and oil are added to food. Oil after the Blessing of Anointing can also be used to anoint sore areas.

During Unction, it is important to pray not only for yourself, but also for those who stand nearby.

This is a common, congregational prayer. It is advisable for those approaching the Sacrament to become familiar with the content of the rite. If a person does not understand much, but sincerely accepts the Sacrament, then even then the Lord provides everything necessary by faith.

All Orthodox Christians, even those who are physically healthy, come to church once a year to have the Blessing of Anointing performed on them. Mental suffering in Christianity is also recognized as a disease. If a person suffers in spirit from the death of loved ones, from grief, if he needs help to gather strength and remove the shackles of despair, he can resort to the Blessing of Anointing. The sacrament is not performed on infants

(up to 7 years old), because they cannot consciously commit sins.

During an illness, unction is supposed to take place once, so as not to show lack of faith. The Lord knows our needs. If physical healing does not occur, then we need this illness for something. A person may remain bedridden but recover spiritually. Therefore, first of all, one should seek spiritual healing.

Imagine: a person is injured and there is blood on his clothes. He can wash his clothes - the wound will still bleed, the bloody stain will still appear. That is why spiritual healing is important. If we are physically healed but not spiritually, it is like washing a shirt and the wound underneath cannot be healed.

Before the start of the Sacrament, you must register at the candle shop.

so that your name can be passed on to the priest.
On the day of Unction you can eat. During the celebration of the Sacrament, a person must wear a cross
. The body and clothing should be clean and accessible for anointing: the collar should be unbuttoned deeply and the sleeves should be rolled up. You need to try not to get the oil on your clothes - out of reverence for the shrine. It is advisable to have paper napkins with you to wipe off excess oil, which are then burned or left in the church.

After Unction, you need to keep yourself in silence, you should devote time to prayer, read something soulful, and visit someone in need of help and support. You should not wash your face right away, so as not to wash off the blessed oil.

In unction, forgotten and unconscious sins are forgiven. But we must remember that unction bears fruit only when a person lives according to the Gospel, regularly confesses, receives communion, and really wants to change his life.

1. Theological and biblical foundations of the Sacrament of Anointing

According to the definition of the Catechism compiled by St. Philaret of Moscow, “The Blessing of Oil is a sacrament in which, by anointing the body with oil, the grace of God is invoked on the sick person, healing mental and physical infirmities” (Long Christian Catechism of the Orthodox Catholic Eastern Church / [Compiled by St. Philaret (Drozdov)] M., 2006. P. 84). According to St. Simeon of Thessalonica, “the oil [of the sacraments] is holy oil according to the power of sacred rites, and is full of divine power, and at the same time, as it anoints sensually, it enlightens and sanctifies souls, strengthens strength, both bodily and spiritual, and heals wounds, destroys illnesses, cleanses us from sinful impurity and has the power to give us God’s mercy and propitiate Him” (Blessed Simeon of Thessalonica. Conversation about holy rites and church sacraments 256 // Works of Blessed Simeon, Archbishop of Thessaloniki. M., 1994 . P. 378.).

In ancient times, spruce, that is, olive tree oil, was used very widely. The Old Testament speaks of it both as the most important food product and as an integral part of temple worship (the bread that was part of the sacrifices was made with the addition of oil, the oil burned in the lamps of the Temple, the priests were anointed with it when setting them up, as well as altars and Temple accessories, etc.), and, finally, as a medicine (see, for example, Isa. 1:6). In addition, oil was endowed with symbolic meaning - as a sign of God’s mercy and joy in living according to the commandments. In the culture of antiquity, spruce also occupied an important place, especially in medical practice.

It is oil, as well as wine, that is described as a healing remedy in the parable of our Lord Jesus Christ about the Good Samaritan: “A certain man was walking from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell among thieves, who took off his clothes, wounded him and left, leaving him barely alive... The Samaritan But someone, passing by, found him and, seeing him, took pity and, coming up, bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine” (Luke 10:30, 33-34). So, from the outside, the sacrament of the Blessing of Anointing is closely connected with the ancient practice of healing wounds and illnesses with the help of anointing with oil. But the church sacrament is by no means reduced to this practice. According to the Gospel, the apostles, at the command of Christ, “anointed many sick people with oil and healed them” (Mark 6:13). It is obvious that these healings were accomplished not simply due to the medical properties of the oil, but by the grace of God, since the apostles healed with the power and authority received from Christ Himself.

The Apostle James, the brother of the Lord, writes about healing through the Blessing of Oil: “Is any of you sick, let him call 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 will heal the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, they will be forgiven him” (James 5:14-15). This testimony lies at the basis of the church sacrament of Anointing. The sick person in the sacrament is healed not by oil as such, but by the prayer of faith, and the Lord Himself raises up the sick person. Anointing serves only as an external sign indicating the internal content of the sacrament - the prayer of faith and the remission of sins.

The remission of sins is an integral aspect of the Sacrament of Anointing. Illness and sin are interconnected - the Apostle James himself writes about this connection at the beginning of his letter: “Sin committed gives birth to death” (James 1:15). Just as death and corruption of human nature is a consequence of the Fall, so a person’s personal sins can be the cause of aggravation of the disease. This correlates the Blessing of Anointing with the sacrament of Repentance - the first complements the second, especially for the seriously ill, but does not cancel it. According to church tradition, it is preferable to perform the Blessing of Anointing together with confession. In some cases, teaching a patient the sacrament of Repentance may turn out to be completely impossible, and then the Blessing of Anointing remains the only means of resolving him from his sins.

But if forgiveness of sins also constitutes the content of the Sacrament of Anointing, then is it permissible for those who are not seriously ill to resort to it? Church tradition testifies in favor of such a practice, although with reservations. Due to the grace-filled effect of the sacrament not only on the body, but also on the human soul, the Fathers of the Church found it possible to perform it not only on those suffering from bodily ailments.

According to the testimony of the fathers and teachers of the Church, already from the first centuries of Christianity this sacrament was performed on penitents and was one of the means of joining the Church of those who fell away from it due to the severity of their sins. As Origen wrote back in the 3rd century, “there is remission of sins... through repentance, when a sinner washes his bed with tears... This fulfills what the apostle says: If anyone is sick in you, let him call for the elders of the church...” (Homilies on the Book of Leviticus, II. 4). According to St. John Chrysostom, priests “not only regenerate us [in Baptism], but also have the power to forgive sins committed after that: If anyone hurts in you, it is said, let him call the elders of the church...” (On the priesthood III. 6) . Saint Simeon of Thessaloniki testifies that in his era - the beginning of the 15th century - in Byzantium, “everyone who fell into sins and fulfilled the rule of repentance, preparing for communion [of the Holy Mysteries] and receiving forgiveness from the [spiritual] father,” sins were forgiven “through sacred rites and the anointing of the Blessing of Oil, as [James] writes, the brother of the Lord” (Questions and Answers to Gabriel of Pentapolis, 72). This is precisely the reason why the general Blessing of Anointing was performed on everyone on the eve of Easter, when the Church especially called upon sinners to be reconciled with her.

2. Brief history of the development of rank order

The origins of the Rite of Anointing are in the apostolic practice of anointing the sick with consecrated oil, performing intense prayer for them. In the early Church, the blessing of oil usually took place during the Eucharist. In the manuscripts of ancient editions of liturgical books, a whole series of prayers over the “oil of the sick”, consecrated at the liturgy or outside it, has been preserved. Oil was often prescribed to be blessed along with water. Another sacred act performed on the sick was the laying on of hands by a bishop or priest (see Mark 16:18 “...they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover”; cf. Acts 28:8). There were also many separate prayers for the sick, including those intended to be read for a particular illness. All these elements formed the basis of the rite of the Blessing of Unction.

In Byzantine manuscripts from the X-XI centuries. An expanded rite is gradually becoming widespread, involving the celebration of seven Divine Liturgies - for a whole week in a row or simultaneously in several churches. At the proskomedia of these liturgies, the oil was blessed, and at the end of the service, the sick person was anointed. Subsequently, the seven liturgies were replaced by seven anointings, preceded—as in a liturgy—by the reading of the Apostle and the Gospel with a special litany. For the seven anointings, seven prayers were chosen, taken from either prayers for the sick and the consecration of oil for them, or from the rites of the sacrament of Penance. In addition, at each anointing, the ancient prayer “Holy Father, Physician of souls and bodies...” was read, and the cycle of all anointings was crowned by the laying of the Gospel on the sick person. This rite was preceded by Vespers and Matins, at which, instead of ordinary chants, special ones were sung - about the sick. In this form, the rite became widespread - including in Rus', where from the end of the 14th century it replaced the more ancient tradition, where the Blessing of Anointing consisted of only one or two prayers over oil, to which prayers could be added in case of a particular illness.

Since the 15th century, special chants of the Blessing of Anointing were separated from special Vespers and Matins and formed the initial part of the rite, which finally acquired its modern form: 1) a series of psalms and hymns about the sick; 2) prayer for the blessing of oil; 3) a cycle of seven anointings with the prayer “Holy Father...”, preceded by the reading of the Apostle and the Gospel (which, as in the liturgy, are framed by the prokeme, alleluia and special litany) and another prayer; 4) placing the Gospel on the head of the sick person, reading a prayer, and dismissal. At the same time, the choice of specific prayers and readings from the Apostle and the Gospel was the subject of constant changes, until the advent of the era of printed publications.

3. Consequence of Anointing

The Rite of Anointing, presented in the modern Trebnik, must be performed without abbreviations and with reverence. Particular attention should be paid to the quality of the oil used in the sacrament. For the reason that the symbolism of this substance in the Holy Scriptures and among the Holy Fathers of the Church is associated only and exclusively with the fruit of the olive tree, and not with other plants, the oil of Anointing should be olive. Mixing it with oils obtained from other plants, and even more so replacing olive oil with another, is allowed only as a last resort. Oil in the sacrament is mixed, according to the tradition of the early Church, with water - or, as indicated in the Trebnik, with wine, which in Byzantine practice replaced water in the rite of the Blessing of Oil.

According to the Trebnik, the rite of the Blessing of Anointing is performed over the sick person, near his bed. It is highly desirable that the Rite of Anointing, or Unction, be performed by a council of presbyters, that is, several (ideally seven) priests together. According to church tradition, you can take the Blessing of Anointing only once during one illness. More than once during the same illness, the Blessing of Anointing can be given only as an exception - if it has become particularly protracted.

In pastoral practice, there are cases where it is impossible to perform the full rite of Anointing on a patient - for example, in the conditions of an intensive care unit. In this regard, the Holy Synod blesses the performance in such cases of an abbreviated Rite of Anointing, in which the canon and other hymns, which were once included in the separate vespers and matins for the sick, are read by the priest in advance (or are omitted), and the cycle of seven anointings, going back to the practice of celebrating seven liturgies is replaced by one. The text of the brief rite of unction is given in the appendix to this document.

Since an essential aspect of the Sacrament of Anointing is the remission of sins, when deciding on the participation of children in this sacrament, one should be guided by the same rules that apply to the Sacrament of Repentance. In particular, the Sacrament of Anointing should not be taught to children under the age of seven unless absolutely necessary.

4. General Unction

In accordance with the Trebnik, the Rite of Anointing is performed on a single person who is in bodily illness or infirmity. However, in the Orthodox Church there is a widespread practice of performing the general Blessing of Anointing on many people praying, including those who are healthy.

In the modern Greek tradition, the general Blessing of Anointing is performed only once or twice a year: after Matins on Maundy Thursday, and also, as a rule, on the eve of the Nativity of Christ. It differs from the usual order of the Blessing of Anointing in that, since all the faithful can participate in it, and not just the seriously ill, it takes place in the church, and during it the sevenfold cycle of the Apostles, Gospels and prayers is not accompanied by anointings, but there is only one anointing: at the end of the rite, all the worshipers take turns approaching the Gospel to kiss, and then the primate anoints their forehead and hands with it once.

A similar practice of performing the general Blessing of Anointing - with a single anointing instead of seven times - was widespread in Rus' until the middle of the 17th century. Only bishops and abbots of the most important monasteries had the right to perform the general Blessing of Anointing. After the 17th century, the general Blessing of Anointing became a feature of the services of the largest cathedrals - for example, the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin - where this sacred rite continued to be performed once a year, on Maundy Thursday, until 1917. The practice of performing the general Blessing of Anointing only once a year, after Matins on Maundy Thursday - usually on the evening of Great Wednesday - has been preserved in foreign parishes of the Russian tradition, as well as in some churches in Russia. In particular, in the churches of the Russian Orthodox Church, the general Blessing of Anointing has retained the character of an exclusively hierarchical rite. However, in the 2nd half of the 20th century, a new custom of performing the general Blessing of Anointing, not only during Holy Week, but also during other weeks of Great Lent, became widespread in the Russian Orthodox Church, and the general Blessing of Anointing began to be performed not with one, but with seven anointings.

In the light of what has been said about the Russian pre-revolutionary and modern Greek traditions, it is allowed to perform a general Blessing of Unction with the reading of all the Apostles, Gospels and prayers prescribed by the rite without accompanying them with anointings, but with each of the priests participating in the rite performing a single anointing of those praying at the end of the sequence. Considering the close connection of the general Blessing of Anointing with the celebration of Easter, the performance of this rite is permitted only during the period of Great Lent or, in the case of justified pastoral necessity (many people wishing to do so) and, as a special exception, on the days of the forefeast of the Nativity of Christ, when the charter prescribes a particularly strict fast, but not on other fasts and ordinary days of the year.

You can take the general Blessing of Anointing no more than once a year. Pastors should explain to their flock who wish to participate in several Blessings of Anointings in a row that such a desire indicates a misunderstanding of the content of the sacrament and an incorrect attitude towards it.

5. Conclusion

Healing is an integral part of Christian evangelism. According to the Gospel, it is a sign accompanying the preaching of Christ throughout the world (Mark 16:17-18). Therefore, the Blessing of Anointing, in whatever form it may be performed, serves and will serve for the building of the Church of Christ and the salvation of its individual members.

Based on materials from https://www.patriarchia.ru/

How to prepare for unction

The ritual of unction helps a Christian to better understand his own sinfulness, helps to remember forgotten sins that burden the soul and prevent development in a spiritual direction. That is why, before undergoing the ceremony, a believer must complete careful preparation - confess and receive communion. These rituals are also carried out after the blessing of oil.

People who have committed the most serious sins must repent before unction. These include passion for the occult and other religions, blasphemy against God, visiting psychics or fortune-tellers, adultery, murder of a neighbor, taking the life of an unborn child (abortion).

Before unction it is also necessary:

• strictly observe the morning and evening rule;
• carefully adhere to Christian commandments, eliminate conflicts with others;
• daily read the main canons, akathists to the Savior, the Mother of God, and saints who became famous for healing the sick.

Fasting before the Blessing of Oil is not always required. This becomes necessary only in cases where the ritual will take place during a period of church fasting. In this case, all required restrictions must be observed (abstinence in animal food, amusements and pleasures).

Before preparing for the unction and taking part in it, a believer must receive the blessing of a priest. You also need to sign up in advance for the ceremony, which will take place in the temple, or invite church ministers to your home.

What sins are forgiven in the sacrament of Unction?

Usually we go to confession for forgiveness of sins. But everyone has sins that, due to inattention to what is happening in our souls and lack of self-analysis skills, we are not aware of. Either, having sinned, we immediately forget it, or we don’t consider it a sin at all.

But unconscious sins are still sins, they burden the soul, and it is necessary to be cleansed from them - which is what happens in the sacrament of Unction.

If we participate in the sacrament of Unction consciously, understanding what will now happen to us, then we will definitely receive forgiveness of such unconfessed (beyond our will) sins. After a person has undergone unction in the temple (it is possible shortly before Unction), it is very good to confess. After Unction and Confession, it is very important to partake of the Holy Mysteries of Christ.

Conducting a church ritual

The ritual takes a considerable period. It can last from 1 to 4 hours. On the day on which the unction is scheduled, a table is set up in the temple. It contains:

• Gospel;
• Orthodox cross;
• 7 burning candles;
• container with oil (oil);
• a vessel with church wine, symbolizing the blood of Christ;
• a vessel with wheat containing 7 sticks with cotton wool.

Believers are located around a table with sacred paraphernalia and must come to the temple without delay. The ritual begins with the blessing of the priest, the reading of the prayer canon and petition, and the consecration of the oil. Next, cross-shaped anointings are made with oil dissolved in wine on certain parts of the body of the Christians present - the forehead, both cheeks, the outer part of the nostrils, lips, the lower part of the neck, both hands (from the back and outside).

This order is repeated exactly 7 times. Simultaneously with each anointing and between applying the oil, church ministers read aloud special prayers (passages from the Holy Scriptures). At the end of the ritual, the Gospel is placed on the head of each congregation and a prayer of permission is said. With this action, the priest absolves those present of voluntary, involuntary and forgotten sins.

Good to know! A person who has properly prepared for the sacrament and has deeply repented of his sins always feels significant relief and improved well-being after unction. However, those who hid their sins and did not want to repent of them most often feel inner restlessness and complain of discomfort.

How is unction performed at home?

There is some difference between church and home rites. If the unction is held in a church, then the anointing of everyone present is repeated seven times. In the case when the sacrament is performed at home, they are limited to one application of oil.

In order to conduct unction at home, family members of a sick person need to prepare properly. In the room where the ritual is performed there should be a clean table, chair, olive oil, and a kettle with boiled water. Church ministers bring the remaining attributes with them.

After the end of a sacred ceremony held at home, considerable reserves of oil may remain. There is no need to throw it away under any circumstances. Priests recommend using this product in cooking. It can also be used to lubricate diseased areas of the body.

Do I need to pay for the ceremony?

The great Christian sacraments are performed free of charge. At the same time, believers cannot help but understand that in order to fully exist, Orthodox churches require financial support. If desired, a lay person can thank the clergy for the ritual performed by donating a feasible amount. Sometimes in temples you can see a price list with approximate prices for the rituals performed. This is done so that parishioners do not distract church ministers from their duties with frequent questions and are easier to navigate.

No one will demand mandatory payment for unction or other sacraments performed. If a person is sick and in dire financial straits, the sacred action is performed absolutely free, in the name of the glory of the Lord.