Holy Unction (the Sacrament of Anointing) — A Guide

What Holy Unction Is

Holy Unction (the anointing with oil, or Euchelaion) is the Holy Mystery by which an Orthodox Christian is anointed with sanctified oil amid the prayers of the priest, receiving the healing of soul and body and the forgiveness of sins. The biblical foundation is clear — the Apostle James writes: “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. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him” (Jas 5:14-15).

Oil has from ancient times been a symbol of healing and of God’s grace in the Holy Scriptures. Through the anointing, the blessing of the Holy Spirit is conveyed to the sick person, acting upon the whole person — upon both physical sufferings and the spiritual wounds of sin that may have contributed to the illness or hinder healing.

Orthodox theology teaches that there is a deep connection between sin and illness — not in the sense that every illness is a punishment for a specific sin, but that sin in general is a wound in human nature that manifests itself also in physical decay. Holy Unction heals both aspects.

When It Is Received

During illness: Holy Unction is received when a person is ill — physically or spiritually. “Illness” in the Orthodox understanding is not only bodily infirmity; it may also be a severe life crisis, spiritual exhaustion, or a long-unconfessed burden of sins. The priest comes home or to the hospital whenever the family calls him.

On Holy Wednesday: A distinctive Serbian and pan-Orthodox custom is the Unction on Holy Wednesday — on the eve of Holy Thursday, on the threshold of Holy Week. Then in the churches a general Holy Unction is performed for all the faithful, regardless of state of health. This is a ceremony of anointing the whole community of the church.

Not only for the gravely ill: Many of the faithful put off the anointing until the last hour, mistakenly believing that it is given only to the dying. This is an error. Holy Unction is a medicine, and medicine is taken in time — one does not wait for the illness to become incurable.

The Order of the Rite

The rite of Holy Unction is longer and more solemn than most of the other Holy Mysteries.

Preparation: The priest prepares a small table covered with a white cloth, on which are a censer, sanctified oil (olive oil, blessed), a small vessel for the oil, and candles. The sick person lies or sits, if possible in clean white clothing.

Readings: During the rite, seven apostolic readings and seven Gospel passages are read, which speak of healing, repentance and God’s mercy. Between each pair of readings the priest anoints the sick person with the sanctified oil.

Anointing: The priest dips a brush or cotton into the sanctified oil and anoints the sick person on the forehead, cheeks, nostrils, mouth, chest and hands. With each anointing a short prayer for healing is read.

Closing prayer: At the end, the priest places the open Gospel book on the head of the sick person and reads a long closing prayer — a petitionary prayer for the forgiveness of all the sins that the sick person may have forgotten to confess or was unable to confess.

Forgiveness of forgotten sins: A special value of Holy Unction is that through it even unconfessed sins are forgiven — not on account of insincerity, but on account of forgetfulness or inability. This does not replace Confession, but is a spiritual medicine for what a person could not confess.

The Misconception of “Last Rites”

The most widespread misconception about Holy Unction is that it is “the last anointing” — a sacrament given only to the dying in the final hours of life. This misconception comes from Roman Catholic practice, where for years the so-called “extreme unction” was indeed tied to dying.

In the Serbian Orthodox Church, Holy Unction never was and is not “last rites”:

• It is received during illness, not after all hope is lost
• It is received even by the healthy believer on Holy Wednesday
• Its purpose is healing and forgiveness, not a parting from this world

Here it is fitting to praise families who call the priest as soon as someone is ill — that is the correct practice. Waiting until the last hour deprives the sick person of the healing power of this Holy Mystery at the very time it can be of the greatest benefit.

If you are uncertain whether the anointing is “premature,” know this: there is no premature care for the soul and body of the sick. Call the priest.