www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology Holy Wednesday Anointing

"Note that the annointing with oil after feasts is a Sacramental, is not the same as the Sacrament of Annointing of the Sick, which is presecribed for those "in danger of death."

True of the Latins, perhaps (though their original usage was the same as ours), but not for us. First, the East doesn't have "sacramentals"; we don't even have an agreed number of sacraments (though the Big Seven are universally recognized, there are many other rites which are considered sacraments as well, though not by all).

Anointing of the sick is anointing of the sick, whether performed on an individual suffering from severe illness or in danger of death; or communally on the eve of particular feasts. Same text, same intent, same sacrament.

After Vatican II, the Latin Church has attempted to restore the original meaning of anointing of the sick, expanding it beyond "Last Rites"; apparently, in this as in the Sacraments of Initiation, they have fallen short of their objective. That doesn't change the fact that the Christian East has maintained the original understanding of the undivided Church, while the West has "evolved".

An excellent book on the subject is The Anointing of the Sick [byztex.blogspot.com] by Paul Meyendorff. It takes great pains to explain how "extreme unction/last rites" has nothing to do with the anointing of the Eastern Churches. He acknowledges that the Slavic churches Latinized the practice, but he then provides some suggestions for a way forward to rediscover the rite's initial purpose.

I quite enjoyed it - specifically his chapters on healing as a primary task of the Church and on the distancing effect of sickness of the ill from their parish family.

I'd like to have a clarification by a priest for this one. I'm of the opinion that the Holy Wednesday anointing is NOT one of the mysteries, but rather a special prayer and anointing which the Church makes available to its flock. There is an anointing during the baptism rite (no, not the Chrismation anointing, but a Baptism anointing.)

If the Holy Wednesday anointing is the Mystery of the Sick wouldn't the priest be required to record everyone's name in his record?

I would compare the Holy Wednesday anointing with a Healing prayer with anointing.

Fr Deacon Paul

Glory to Jesus Christ!

Fr. Deacon

Although not a priest. My understanding is and always has been that the Holy Wednesday anointing IS a one of the "7 sacraments". I know every year the priests of the deanery tell of this fact and make the annointing oil of St. Nectarios available for non Orthodox who may be in attendance.

Now that being said, I would not be surprised, based on my 30+ years experiences as a BC, where some in (SOME of) the eastern catholic churches, may not do the 12 gospels (and epistles) and actually utilize the oils reserved for the sick. But rather, a simple "festal annointing" with some service.

Reader Chris

We're getting off topic here, but here goes...

The text of the Service on Holy Wednesday evening (in the Orthodox Churches, at least) is the text of the Service of Holy Unction. What else could this service be but the Mystery of Holy Unction?

If the Service of Unction is done at other times in the year for a sick individual, it is usually done in some sort of abbreviated form, often with one Epistle, One Gospel, and one Prayer. Even if a priest were to do the whole Service, he normally does it alone. In a "communal' Unction Service on Holy Wednesday or some other day of the year, it is often possible to come closer to the original intent of the Unction Service by having multiple priests perform the Mystery and anoint the Faithful (seven is the specified number.)

So regardless of whether names are recorded, this has to be the Mystery of Holy Unction.

Fr David Straut

Actually it is seven Epistles, seven Gospels, and seven Prayers done by (ideally) seven Priests who each anoint the faithful. You are probably remembering the Service of the Twelve Gospels, the Matins Service of Holy Friday, usually performed the evening after Holy Wednesday, i.e. Holy Thursday evening.

Fr David Straut

Father Bless.

My bad...it is seven not twelve...

From what I've been told, the anointing on Holy Wednesday, as practiced in the BCC Pittsburgh Metropolia, is indeed the Sacrament/Mystery of Holy Unction. I once made a comment to my priest that I've now received all seven Sacraments/Mysteries, and he confirmed my comment with a nod (and he is a Canon Lawyer).

Dn. Robert

Oofa!

When did that word become a noun?

The traditionalist in almost everything,

Fr David

Do you listen to Bob Grant?

Not currently, but I did several years ago.

The Service of Holy Anointing used on Great and Holy Wednesday IS the Holy Mystery of Anointing. There are several booklet versions containing the text of this Sacrament in use in the Ruthenian Church (or were prior to 2007 when I was still a member of that Church). Some parishes simply use a photocopy of the service from the little Holy Anointing book used by one priest (I think the Byz Sem Press edition but would have to check who published it). Others are longer. In recent years someone has had the strange idea to sandwich the Anointing into the middle of the Presanctified (with the theologically odd idea that the Eucharist was needed to make the Anointing a valid Sacrament before sending people home!).

Anyone who would like to see the full service with the seven epistles and Gospels can look at Hapgood's "Service Book of the Holy Orthodox Catholic Church". I know for fact that a pretty full version of this has been used in many Ruthenian parishes (with the seven epistles, Gospels and prayers for seven priests) since in the early 1980s I prepared a special booklet for it that was used in many parishes, both Byzantine Catholic and Orthodox. In those parishes it was presented and celebrated as a Sacrament (a Holy Mystery).

Sacraments do not need to be recorded to be efficacious.

It is not a healing prayer with anointing, except in those places where the priest does not intend to celebrate the Sacrament.

I've been to the Mystery of Holy Unction in several Orthodox parishes on Holy Wednesday. Not only was this described as being the Mystery of the Sick, but it was also described as helpful for those who were spiritually ill--like me, a sinner.

At the end of the Service, each person was not only anointed, but given a small vial of the Oil of the Sick to take home to use in cases where someone was ill. I've been told to use a cotton-tipped swab and then burn the end that was in the Holy Oil.

Bob

Thank you all for the clarification.

Fr Deacon Paul

Can someobody clarify the history of the introduction of the Holy Wednesday Anointing?

I remember that, say 15 years ago it was unknown in the Russian Orthodox Chirch Abroad but the Greeks were already practising it. When did the Greeks start to anoint on Holy Wednesday?

Is it done now in Russia?