Chrismatory for ritual oil from Germany, 1636^[1] (silver-gilt, Victoria and Albert Museum, London). A Chrismarium can either be a place in a church set apart for the administration of confirmation or an Ampulla or jar globular in form usually made of silver The Victoria and Albert Museum (often abbreviated as the V&A) in London is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design housing a permanent collection London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom.

Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing"), also called "Myrrh" (Myron), "Holy Oil," or "Consecrated Oil," is a consecrated oil used in the Roman Catholic, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Orthodox churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Old-Catholic churches, and some Anglican and Lutheran churches in the administration of certain sacraments and ecclesiastical functions. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious Oriental Orthodoxy is the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only three Ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi The Old Catholic Church is a Christian denomination originating with churches (many of them German -speaking that split from the Roman Catholic Church in Anglicanism is a tradition of Christian faith Churches in this tradition either have historical connections to the Church of England or have similar beliefs Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther A sacrament, as defined in Hexam's Concise Dictionary of Religion is "a Rite in which God is uniquely active

Pure or scented olive oil used by other Christian denominations, although typically not called chrism today, has been called chrism in the past, including oil used by Protestants and Restorationists in some forms of Baptism, Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick and foot washing. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees Protestantism refers to the forms of Christian faith and practice that originated in the 16th century Protestant Reformation. For other usages see Restoration (general disambiguation Apokatastasis (universal restoration Christian Zionism (restoration of Israel and In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Confirmation is a Rite of initiation in many Christian Churches normally in the form of Laying on of hands and/or Anointing for Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name Foot washing or washing of feet is a religious Rite observed as an ordinance by several Christian denominations. In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormons, chrism was historically used in some of their temple ordinances. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the fourth largest Christian denomination in the United States and the largest and most well-known TalkMormon#Latter Day Saint vs Latter-day Saint --> Mormon In the In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations

Multiple early Christian documents discuss the "ordinance" or "several ceremonies. A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, a monotheistic Religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth . . explained in the Apostolical Constitutions" of "chrism," including documents by Theophilus and Tertullian. Various people have been known by the name Theophilus or Theophilos, which means "Friend of God" in Greek and is thus similar to the Latin word Amadeus Quintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, Anglicised as Tertullian, (ca The most detailed version of the practice is by Cyril of Jerusalem who details how ointment or oil was "symbolically applied to thy forehead, and thy other organs of sense" and that the "ears, nostrils, and breast were each to be anointed. Saint Cyril of Jerusalem (Κύριλλος Α΄ Ἱεροσολύμων was a distinguished theologian of the early Church (ca An ointment is a viscous semisolid preparation used topically on a variety of body surfaces An oil is a substance that is in a viscous Liquid state ( "oily") at ambient temperatures or slightly warmer and is " Cyril states that the "ointment is the seal of the covenants" of baptism and God’s promises to the Christian who is anointed. In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Cyril taught that being "anointed with the oil [Chrism] of God" was the sign of a Christian (Christos means "anointed"), and a physical representation of having the Gift of the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost), and it retains this meaning in Catholicism and Orthodoxy today. Religious meaning A charism (plural charismata. From the Greek charis - grace the divine influence on the receiver's heart and its reflection in his In mainstream Christianity, the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost is one of the three entities of the Holy Trinity which make up the single substance

Etymology

Greek χρῖμα or χρῖσμα, later χρίσμα "ointment, unguent, anointment" besides χρῖσται "oil, oil flask" and χριστός "fit to be anointed", in LXX and NT "the anointed, Messiah", "Christ", is from a verb χρίω, χρίομαι (long -ῑ-, later also short -ῐ-; aorist χρῖσαι, -σασθαι, -σθῆναι, perfect κέχριμαι, -ισμαι, -ικα), "smear, anoint, rub or daub with oil or grease". The Septuagint (ˈsɛptuədʒɪnt or simply " LXX " is the Koine Greek version of the Hebrew Bible, translated in stages between the This article is about the concept of a Messiah in religion notably in the Christian Islamic and Jewish traditions Christ is the English term for the Greek ( Khristós) meaning "the anointed "

The further connection of the Greek verb to Indo-European forms is fairly certain, stemming from Proto-Indo-European *ghrei-, "to rub". Cognates include Lithuanian gr(i)ejù, griẽti "skimming (of cream)" and Middle Low German grēme "dirt", Old English grīma "mask, helm, spectre" (from a meaning "covered, concealed", c. Lithuanian ( lietuvių kalba) is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognised as one of the official languages of the European Union. For the 1993 hip-hop single by the Wu-Tang Clan see CREAM CREAM is an acronym for Cognitive Reliability Error Analysis Method a Middle Low German ( ISO 639 -3 code gml) is a Language that is the descendant of Old Saxon and is the ancestor of modern Low German. f. Tarnhelm), English grime, and possibly Phrygian gegreimenan "painted, ornamented, inscribed". Tarnhelm is the name of a magic Helmet in Richard Wagner 's Der Ring des Nibelungen. The Phrygian language was the Indo-European language of the Phrygians a people from Thrace who later migrated to Asia Minor. A much more obvious cognate, and one with comparable religious significance, is Sanskrit ghṛtə घृत ("sprinkled"), modern ghee, used in Vedic and Hindu custom in anointment and other rituals. Sanskrit (sa संस्कृता वाक् saṃskṛtā vāk, for short sa संस्कृतम् saṃskṛtam) is a historical Ghee ( Hindi घी ghī, Urdu گھی ghī, Punjabi ਘਿਉ/گھیو ghiu, Kashmiri ग्याव/گیاو To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil milk water melted butter or other substances a process employed ritually by many religions and races

χρίσμα came into Latin as chrisma, into Old French, by contamination with Latin cramum "cream" as cresme (Modern French crème) and finally into English, in the 14th century as creme, spelled cream with the Great Vowel Shift from the 15th century (crème as a dessert ingredient was re-borrowed in the 19th century). Latin ( lingua Latīna, laˈtiːna is an Italic language, historically spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Old French was the Romance Dialect continuum spoken in territories which span roughly the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium The Great Vowel Shift was a major change in the Pronunciation of the English language that took place in the south of England between 1200 and Chrism was loaned into English earlier, in the 11th century as crism, spelled with ch- from the 16th century.

Roman Catholicism

Glass Ambry containing vessels for holy oil: Chrism, Oil of Catechumens, and the Oil of the Sick

Chrism is essential for the Catholic Sacrament of Confirmation/Chrismation, and is prominently used in the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Orders. Almery, atjmery, aumbrie, or ambry (from the medieval form almariwm, cf Oil of Catechumen is the oil used in some baptisms it is believed to show the strength to turn away from evil temptation and sin Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name Confirmation, known also as Chrismation, is one of the seven sacraments through which Catholics pass in the process of their religious upbringing In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted In a general sense the term Holy Orders refers to those in the Christian religion who have been ordained in Apostolic Succession. Those to be confirmed or chrismated, after receiving the laying on of hands, are anointed on the head by the bishop or priest. The laying on of hands is a religious practice found throughout the world in varying forms A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight A priest or priestess is a person having the authority or power to administer religious rites in particular rites of sacrifice to and propitiation of a deity or deities In baptism, if the person baptized is not to be immediately confirmed or chrismated, the minister anoints them with chrism. To anoint is to pour or smear with perfumed oil milk water melted butter or other substances a process employed ritually by many religions and races Newly ordained priests are anointed with chrism on the palms of their hands, and newly ordained bishops receive an anointing of chrism on their foreheads. It is also used in the consecration of objects such as churches and altars.

Invitation to the Chrism Mass of Pope John Paul II on Maundy Thursday, 20 April 2000. Pope In the Christian Liturgical calendar, Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) is the feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter

In former times, chrism was used to consecrate patens and chalices as well. Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service usually religious A paten, or diskos, is a small plate usually made of silver or gold used to hold Eucharistic bread which is to be Consecrated. A Cross would be formed with the chrism into the chalice and paten on the interior parts where the Eucharist would rest; the Cross would then be smeared to cover the entire interior parts. The chalice and paten would need to be consecrated with the chrism again if they are re-gilded, and this ritual may only be performed by a Bishop or a priest with the faculties to do so. However, this is no longer the practice, and a simple blessing by a priest suffices.

Chrism is usually olive oil (although other plant oils can be used in cases when olive oil is unavailable) and is scented with a sweet perfume, usually balsam. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees Balsam of Mecca (or balsam of Gilead or balm of Gilead) is a Resinous gum of the tree Commiphora gileadensis (syn Under normal circumstances, chrism is consecrated by the bishop of the particular church in the presence of the presbyterium at the Mass of the Chrism, which takes place on Holy Thursday. A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop Presbyterium is a modern term used in the Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches after the Second Vatican Council In the Christian Liturgical calendar, Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) is the feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick are also blessed at this Mass. Oil of Catechumen is the oil used in some baptisms it is believed to show the strength to turn away from evil temptation and sin Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name The Mass is the Eucharistic celebration in the Latin liturgical rites of the Roman Catholic Church.

These holy oils are usually stored in special vessels known as chrismaria and kept in a cabinet known as an ambry. A Chrismarium can either be a place in a church set apart for the administration of confirmation or an Ampulla or jar globular in form usually made of silver Almery, atjmery, aumbrie, or ambry (from the medieval form almariwm, cf When the oils are distributed to a priest for him to use in his ministy they are kept in a smaller vessel with three compartments, known as an "oil stock". There is also a type of oil stock that is shaped like a ring, to make the anointing easier. The "jewel" of the ring is a container with a removeable lid.

Eastern Christianity

The primary use of chrism in the Oriental Orthodox, Eastern Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East, is for Chrismation, which under normal circumstances always immediately follows Baptism, even for infants. This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the Holy See The Holy Apostolic Catholic Assyrian Church of the East (ܥܕܬܐ ܩܕܝܫܬܐ ܘܫܠܝܚܝܬܐ ܩܬܘܠܝܩܝ ܕܡܕܢܚܐ ܕܐܬܘܪ̈ܝܐ ‘Ittā Qaddishtā wa-Shlikhāitā Qattoliqi Chrismation is the name given in Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox and Eastern Catholic churches as well as in the Assyrian Church of the East In Christianity, baptism ( Greek, "immersing" "performing Ablutions " is the ritual act with the use of water by which one is admitted Here the blessing of the bishop upon the chrism functions as a substitute for the direct imposition of hands, and chrism is normally used even when the bishop is performing the baptism himself. Its other notable modern use is in the consecration of church buildings, where it is used to anoint the walls and the altar table. Formerly, emperors and kings of monarchies where Orthodoxy was the state religion would be anointed with chrism at their coronations. An emperor (from the Latin " Imperator " is a (male Monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an Empire or another type of A state religion (also called an official religion, established church or state church) is a religious body or Creed officially A coronation is a ceremony marking the investiture of a Monarch with regal power specifically involving the placement of a crown upon his or her head and the

Chrism is made during Holy Week beginning on Holy Monday and culminating in the Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday when it is carried in the Great Entrance and placed upon the altar. Holy Week ( Latin: Hebdomada Sancta or Maior Hebdomada, "Greater Week" in Christianity is the last week before Easter. Holy Monday or Great and Holy Monday is the Monday of Holy Week, which precedes the commemoration of the Death and Resurrection of Jesus. The Divine Liturgy is the common term for the Eucharistic service of the Byzantine tradition of Christian liturgy. In the Christian Liturgical calendar, Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) is the feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter In Eastern Orthodoxy, an entrance is a Procession during which the Clergy enter into the Sanctuary through the Holy Doors. An altar is any structure upon which Sacrifices or other offerings are made for religious purposes or some other sacred place where ceremonies take place It is primarily olive oil with the addition of a range of aromatic essences, patterned after the anointing oil described in Exodus 30:22-33. An essential oil is a concentrated Hydrophobic Liquid containing volatile Aroma compounds from Plants They are also known as volatile It can only be consecrated by an autocephalous church. The service is performed by the Patriarch and members of The Holy Synod. On completion, chrism is distributed to all the bishops, who, in turn, give it to their parishes when needed. It is not made on an yearly basis, but only when supplies run short.

Anglicanism and Lutheranism

The primary use of chrism in Anglican and Lutheran churches is for the rite of chrismation, which may be included as a part of Baptism, even for infants. Here the blessing of the bishop upon the chrism usually functions as a substitute for the direct imposition of episcopal hands, and chrism is normally used even when the bishop is performing the baptism himself. Its other notable use is in the consecration of church buildings, where it may be used to anoint the walls, the altar/table, and the place for reservation of the Eucharistic sacrament for the sick. The Eucharist, also called Holy Communion or Lord's Supper and other names is a Christian Sacrament by which in a common interpretation those

Chrism is usually olive oil (although other plant oils can be used in cases when olive oil is unavailable) and is scented with a sweet perfume, usually balsam. Olive oil is a fruit oil obtained from the olive ( Olea europaea; family Oleaceae along with Lilacs Jasmine and ash trees Under usual circumstances, chrism is consecrated by the bishop of the particular church in the presence of the presbyterium at the Holy Eucharist for the Reaffirmation of Ministerial Vows (or Chrism Mass), which takes place on Maundy Thursday. A particular Church is in Catholic theology and canon law, an ecclesial community headed by a bishop or someone recognized as the equivalent of a bishop Presbyterium is a modern term used in the Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches after the Second Vatican Council Chrism (Greek word literally meaning "an anointing" also called "Myrrh" ( Myron) "Holy Oil" or "Consecrated Oil" is a Consecrated In the Christian Liturgical calendar, Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday) is the feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter The oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick are usually also consecrated at this liturgy. In Ecclesiology, a catechumen (ˌkætəˈkjuːmən from Latin catechumenus, Greek κατηχουμενος, instructed is one receiving instruction Anointing of the Sick is distinguished from other forms of religious Anointing or "unction" (an older term with the same meaning in that it is intended as its name Practices vary for the blessing of the chrism, from interpolations within the Eucharistic Prayer, to specific prayers of consecration, used at the discretion of the minister. Some Lutheran liturgical books, however, make provision for a pastor who is not a bishop (a presbyter) to consecrate chrism in time of need and in the absence of the bishop. A liturgical book is a book published by the authority of a Church, that contains the text and directions for the Liturgy of its official Religious services

Latter-day Saints

Prior to January 16, 2005, a nearly identical procedure to that described by Cyril in his On the Mysteries. III: Lecture XXI On Chrism was performed in Latter-day Saint temples. In the A modified version of the ordinance is still performed. See Washing and anointing. In the Latter Day Saint movement, washing and anointing (also called the initiatory) is an ordinance ( Sacrament) practiced by certain denominations

See also

• Holy anointing oil
• Anointing of Jesus

References

External links

• Chrism — from the Catholic Encyclopedia
• Chrismatory — from the Catholic Encyclopedia
• Photo gallery of the blessing of chrism in an Orthodox church. The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia The Catholic Encyclopedia, also referred to today as the Old Catholic Encyclopedia, is an English-language Encyclopedia published by The Encyclopedia The Eastern Orthodox Church is the second largest single Christian Communion in the world (NB: Some of the photos appear to have been displaced and do not match the captions. )
• On Chrism by St. Cyril of Jerusalem