Church rite anointing. Confirmation - what is it in Orthodoxy

Church life Orthodox Christian involves mandatory participation in Church Sacraments... There are seven of them, and today we will consider what is accepted after the Sacrament of Baptism. It will be about Confirmation. Everyone knows the popular expression "One world is smeared". What is it about?

The essence of the Sacrament

Modern church practice involves the combination of two Sacraments - Baptism and Confirmation. According to tradition, during Baptism, the baptized person dresses in new white clothes, as a symbol of purity and innocence before God. Following this, they put on him pectoral cross which the believer must wear all his life.

The rite of anointing in the Orthodox Church

And the next step is the anointing of the newly made Christian with fragrant oil, which is brewed in a special way and consecrated personally by His Holiness the Patriarch.

Interesting! During the brewing of the new world, the remainder of the previous one is necessarily poured into it, and the succession of the holy liquid can be traced back to the apostles themselves.

The tradition of chrismation dates back to apostolic times. The Bible says that the grace of the Holy Spirit descended on newly baptized Christians after the apostles laid hands on believers. Over time, when baptisms of people became widespread, and a tradition arose to smear various parts of the body blessed oil instead of the laying on of hands. The apostles were physically unable to participate in the baptism of so many people.

What exactly happens to a person during this Sacrament? This is described in the Gospel, when on the fiftieth day after the Resurrection, God's grace descended on the apostles in the form of flaming tongues. The apostles were then filled with strength and ability to preach the faith of Christ throughout the world.

The same applies to ordinary Christians who decide to be baptized into the Orthodox faith. Only the descent of the Holy Spirit on ordinary people does not happen as clearly and visibly as on the apostles. Therefore, Confirmation refers to the Sacrament - since it happens invisibly, mysteriously.

What happens during Confirmation can be compared to the sowing of grain. A small particle of holiness enters the soul and heart of a person. And it depends on the further life of the person himself whether this seed will bear fruit. If the baptized person tries to live with the fullness of Christianity, he will receive great spiritual gifts. And, on the contrary, the grace received can be easily lost if you lead an ungodly life and do not remember the Lord.

The history of the Sacrament and its differences

In ancient times, Confirmation was performed in a different way. The original laying on of hands by the apostles on the newly baptized for the transmission of Divine grace had to be replaced by some other action in order to reach all those who wish to be baptized. Christianity spread very quickly, and sometimes people accepted new faith whole settlements.

Interesting! In order to perform the Sacrament over big amount people began to consecrate a special aromatic oil composition, which was used to anoint the body of the baptized.

This oil was brewed according to a special recipe and was necessarily consecrated by the head of the Church. In addition to practical benefits, such an action also had a deeply symbolic meaning - this is how the unity of the Christian Church under the leadership of the bishop was expressed.

Miro is a special aromatic oil composition

It is interesting that in the Catholic tradition there is also a similar Sacrament, but it does not coincide in time with Baptism. Catholics perform the so-called confirmation of the youths when they already begin to understand the basics of faith. However, when babies are baptized, they perform the initial anointing with myrrh, which prepares the soul to receive the full Sacrament at a more conscious age.

But in the eastern tradition, which is the root of our modern orthodoxy, already from the III century, Baptism was closely intertwined with the anointing with holy myrrh.

By its composition, miro is a complex mixture of various aromatic and oily substances. Also in Old Testament, in the Book of Exodus you can find references to this shrine. This substance was revealed to Moses by the Lord Himself. Of course, the Old Testament Confirmation could not bear the fullness of Divine grace, but it was a prototype and preparation for Christian Confirmation.

How Confirmation occurs today

Today in our Orthodox Church, myrrh is prepared by the bishops. The composition of the mixture varied significantly in different times... So, now it includes about 40 components, and in the 17th century there were about 60. As a rule, the world includes various oils(olive, clove, nutmeg and other spices), extracts of violet, rose, incense and much more.

Interesting! All the substances that make up the world are prepared for Great Lent, during the Week of the Cross.

All components are mixed and infused, and on Holy week the cooking of the future shrine takes place directly. Myrrh is brewed with the constant reading of the Gospel until Maundy Thursday, and on Thursday itself, at the Liturgy, a solemn consecration takes place finished composition.

Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of the Orthodox Church

An obligatory stage in the consecration of the oil mixture is the addition of a small amount of the previously prepared world, which is stored in the altar on the throne. In itself ancient composition a drop of the newly consecrated is added. In this way, a relationship and transmission of Divine grace is achieved, which can be traced back to the very apostolic times.

The ordinance of the Sacrament is tightly woven into the conduct of Baptism, so many believers do not distinguish between these two processes. Since most people baptize even in infancy, the anointing occurs in the hands of the godparents after the baby is lowered into the font and put on it. pectoral cross... It is important that the child lies not just in his arms, but in a special canopy - a bedding or a blanket, which is designed specifically for christening and will not be used in everyday life.

Such a pious tradition is associated with the fact that particles of the holy world can get on the clothes or diapers of the baby. And in order not to desecrate the great shrine, it is customary not to use clothes for christening with particles and the smell of the world in Everyday life, but to keep it as a family heirloom and the memory of the performance of the great Sacrament.

Video about the sacrament of Confirmation

Strict and full of love and mercy, the eyes of saints from ancient icons, the soft warm light of lighted candles, a fragrant censer, a font filled with blessed water, the white robes of a baby, the solemn and exalted voice of the priest pronouncing the words of prayer, the quiet and exciting singing of the choir ... From the minute of the baptism begins new life a believer, an invisible connection with God is established. The newly baptized one enters the bosom of the church, is “spiritually born” into the world. Baptism is the very first and most important sacrament in the life of a Christian; it is inextricably linked with another sacrament - chrismation. And if almost every person has heard about baptism, few know about the latter. What's the point? What is chrismation in the church? Read more in the article.

The Significance of the Sacraments in the Church

One of the fundamental parts of the life of the church and the Christian is the sacraments.

A sacrament is a sacrament, through the performance of which invisible divine grace is transmitted to a person through visible rituals.

All the sacraments of the Christian church have common features:

God-established is the institution of the sacraments by God himself.
The inner, hidden side is the invisible grace that is transmitted to the Christian during the sacrament.
The external, formalized side is the ritual order necessary for a weak person, visible and felt actions that allow one to perceive invisible grace.

In contrast to the rituals performed during the performance of the sacraments (for example, the blessing of water, censing of the temple), which took shape and developed naturally for centuries, ordinances are considered to be ordained by God.

Sacraments of the Orthodox Church

In total Orthodox tradition seven sacraments have been established, through which believers and those who receive the sacraments receive various divine gifts:

The sacrament of baptism - the baptized person is dipped into the font three times or doused with water with the recitation of prayers. The newly-baptized one is forgiven of his former sins, and communion with the Church takes place.
The sacrament of chrismation in Orthodoxy consists in the application of holy peace to certain parts of the body. The anointed one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, guiding him on the path of spiritual self-improvement.
The sacrament of repentance - sincere remorse a Christian in his sins, full confession confessor as a type of the Lord. The confessed sins are forgiven to the repentant sinner.
The sacrament of communion (another name is the Eucharist) - communion with the Holy Gifts, consecrated and prepared in a special way, wine and bread, symbolizing the Body and Blood of Christ; the one who received the communion unites with the Lord.
The sacrament of blessing of oil (or unction) - the body of a person is anointed with oil (oil). The believer is granted deliverance from various ailments.
The sacrament of marriage (known as the wedding) is the conclusion of a church union between a husband and wife. The family is born with divine blessings.
The sacrament of the priesthood (otherwise called consecration) is ordination to the priesthood. The opportunity is given to independently participate in the sacraments of the church, conduct rituals and perform services.

The Gospel texts contain direct mention of three sacraments - baptism, repentance and communion; the divine origin of the rest of the sacraments is attested by other books Scripture and the labors of the first teachers of the church.

The connection between the sacrament of baptism and chrismation

How are the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of chrismation related? Both of them have always been closely related in church tradition... Baptism cleanses and frees a person from burdens original sin and many personal sins, and chrismation grants the grace of the Holy Spirit, allowing you to live according to church commandments and canons.

Since the 4th century, chrismation has been performed immediately after baptism. Both of these ordinances can be performed only once in a person's entire life.

The meaning of anointing

The Orthodox Catechism (a collection that sets out the basic principles of faith) explains the essence of the sacrament in this way: "Confirmation is a sacrament in which the believer, with the anointing of parts of the body with the sanctified world, in the name of the Holy Spirit, is given the gifts of the Holy Spirit, which promote growth and strengthen in spiritual life."

Personal Pentecost

Sometimes the sacrament of chrismation is called a person's personal Pentecost. You can understand the meaning of this phrase by remembering the pages of the Gospel.

On the fiftieth day after the resurrection of Christ, the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of tongues of fire. They immediately felt the influence of divine grace - they were filled with divine love for people and Christ, a willingness to devote themselves to serving them. They gained the ability to speak in languages previously unknown to them, which made it possible to preach sermons in different parts of the world.

In the sacrament of chrismation, the same thing happens to a person that the apostles experienced. The external form of this phenomenon has changed - the flame now replaces the cruciform anointing with myrrh, but inner side, the meaning of the sacrament remained unchanged - the descent of the Holy Spirit and the sanctification of a Christian through the received grace.

The history of the establishment of the rite

In the early years of the spread of Christianity, the sacrament of chrismation had a completely different form.

Christians of the first centuries received a blessed gift through prayers and the personal laying on of hands by the apostles on the heads of new converts.

However, the spread of Christianity and the growing number of believers made it very difficult for the apostles to personally participate in the blessing of each new convert. Therefore, at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries, the outer ritual side of the sacrament of chrismation was changed. Now, instead of the apostolic ordering, they began to anoint certain parts of the body with the world. Confirmation was a sacrament that was accompanied by prayers and imposition sign of the cross(in Greek "sphragis" - seal). Bishops and elders of the church appointed by the apostles were empowered to perform the anointing with chrism.

Stone

In the Holy Land, Jerusalem, there is a shrine, known to the world like the Stone of Confirmation. According to the Gospel, this is exactly the stone on which the Savior's Body was laid after He was taken down from the cross. The followers of Christ - Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - it was on this stone that they washed the Body of the Lord with fragrant peace, preparing it for burial. For preservation, the real stone of chrismation in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher is covered with a slab of pink marble, but even through the slab it exudes myrrh, which is collected by numerous pilgrims for healing from ailments.

Holy myrrh

Translated from the ancient Greek "myrrh" means "fragrant oil." According to various sources, the amount of ingredients required for the preparation of the world used in the sacrament ranges from 35 to 75. This abundance of the components of the world is correlated with the huge number of virtues that a true Christian should possess. The foundation of the world is made up of white grape wine, pure olive oil and a variety of aromas and oils.

At the dawn of Christianity, only the apostles had the right to prepare and consecrate the world, and later to the bishops appointed by them. Today in Russian Orthodox Church only the Patriarch can cook and consecrate myrrh.

Cooking and sanctifying the world

In Russia, the process of preparation and consecration of the world takes place every two years. The preparation of all the necessary ingredients begins with the Week of the Cross - the fourth week of Great Lent. All the necessary ingredients are sprinkled with blessed water, a mixture of olive oil and wine is brewed. The aromatic constituents of the world are crushed, poured ready-mix oils and wines. Then the myrrh remains until the end of Great Lent. V Good Monday The patriarch consecrates everything that is used for the creation of the world (both ingredients and vessels), personally kindles the flame under the prepared cauldrons. The cooking of the world is accompanied by the constant reading of the Gospel. V Maundy Thursday myrrh is consecrated, and it is mixed with the world consecrated in previous years. This mixing has been going on for centuries. Due to this, today myrrh contains part of the substance that was brewed in the days of the apostles. Then the prepared and consecrated myrrh is distributed to all the parishes of the Church.

The meaning of the rite

The visible side of the sacrament is the priest's application of peace to the forehead, eyes, nose, mouth, ears, chest, palms and feet of a person. At the same time, each time it is said to them: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen".

Why are these parts of the body chosen for the ceremony? The answer to this question is given by the works of the saints of the church.

The myrrh used during the anointing sanctifies the whole person: by anointing the forehead it cleanses the mind and thoughts, through the anointing of the senses (eyes, nose, mouth and ears) instructs on the path of salvation, adjusts to the perception of everything that is pious, by anointing the chest bestows divine love and sanctifies the feelings and desires, through the anointing of hands and feet, blesses for godly deeds and deeds, calls on to follow the commandments of the Lord throughout life.

Ritual side of the sacrament

Confirmation is a sacrament that consists of four stages: anointing with ointment, walking around the font, washing the holy world, and cutting hair.

At the end of the sacrament of baptism (ends with a robe in white robes), the priest reads a prayer and applies ointment to certain parts of the body, which must be wiped dry. Applying the holy myrrh, the priest figuratively draws a cross. Before ablution, no one should touch the anointed parts of the body.

Then the newly baptized one with a lit candle and his God-parents(on church custom they are called receivers) walk three times around the font, moving towards the sun, counterclockwise, as all processions of the cross are performed. Symbolically, this means entering eternal life, bestowed by the sacraments performed, as well as their eternal inviolable power.

Rites of the Eighth Day

The washing of the holy world at the dawn of the formation of the Christian faith took place on the eighth day after the sacrament was performed. Moreover, the newly baptized wore white baptismal clothes without taking off. He visited the temple, learning the secrets of the church and worship; during this period, the first communion of the novice Christian took place. Today the rites of the eighth day are performed on the day of baptism and chrismation. The priest says the words of the prayer, asking God for help in keeping the seal of the Holy Spirit intact and asking him to protect the new member of the church from the harmful effects of evil forces. Then sprinkles the anointed one with words ancient prayer: “Thou art justified (man's former sins were forgiven), thou art enlightened (stood on the path Orthodox faith), you were sanctified (during the first communion), you were washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God. " After this, ablution is performed soaked in clean water with a sponge anointed body parts.

Having asked the Lord for a blessing for a new member of the church, the priest cuts off the hair on the head of the newly baptized - the back of the head, forehead, right and left side... The cruciform hair cut repeats the procedure for applying a blessing to the head. Symbolically, the rite of chrismation means that a person voluntarily surrenders to God, is ready to sacrifice himself.

The cut hair is rolled into a ball of wax and lowered into the baptismal font.

Confirmation is the second most important (after baptism) sacrament in the life of any Christian. Unfortunately, today many do not know the meaning of this sacrament. And not everyone knows about the very existence of this sacrament. Meanwhile, chrismation is a sacrament that allows a person to begin to lead a full spiritual life in the bosom of the Orthodox Church.

Strict and full of love and mercy the eyes of the saints from ancient icons, the soft warm light of lighted candles, a fragrant censer, a font filled with consecrated water, the white clothes of a baby, the solemn and exalted voice of the priest pronouncing the words of prayer, the quiet and exciting singing of the choir ... From the minute of baptism a new life of a believer begins, an invisible connection with God is established. The newly baptized one enters the bosom of the church, is “spiritually born” into the world. Baptism is the very first and most important sacrament in the life of a Christian; it is inextricably linked with another sacrament - chrismation. And if almost every person has heard about baptism, few know about the latter. What is chrismation in the church? Read more in the article.

The Significance of the Sacraments in the Church

One of the fundamental parts of the life of the church and the Christian is the sacraments.

A sacrament is a sacrament, through the performance of which invisible divine grace is transmitted to a person through visible rituals.

All the sacraments of the Christian church have common features:

God-established is the institution of the sacraments by God himself.
The inner, hidden side is the invisible grace that is transmitted to the Christian during the sacrament.
The external, formalized side is the ritual order necessary for a weak person, visible and felt actions that allow one to perceive invisible grace.

In contrast to the rituals performed during the performance of the sacraments (for example, the blessing of water, censing of the temple), which took shape and developed naturally over the centuries, the sacraments are considered to be established by God.

Sacraments of the Orthodox Church

In total, seven sacraments have been established in the Orthodox tradition, through which believers and those who receive the sacraments receive various divine gifts:

The sacrament of baptism - the baptized person is dipped into the font three times or doused with water with the recitation of prayers. The newly-baptized one is forgiven of his former sins, and communion with the Church takes place.
The sacrament of chrismation in Orthodoxy consists in the application of holy peace to certain parts of the body. The anointed one receives the gift of the Holy Spirit, guiding him on the path of spiritual self-improvement.
The sacrament of repentance is the Christian's sincere repentance of his sins, full confession to the spiritual father as a type of the Lord. The confessed sins are forgiven to the repentant sinner.
(another name - the Eucharist) - communion with the Holy Gifts, consecrated and prepared in a special way, wine and bread, symbolizing the Body and Blood of Christ; the one who received the communion unites with the Lord.
The sacrament of blessing of oil (or unction) - the body of a person is anointed with oil (oil). The believer is granted deliverance from various ailments.
The sacrament of marriage (known as the wedding) is the conclusion of a church union between a husband and wife. The family is born with divine blessings.
The sacrament of the priesthood (otherwise called consecration) is ordination to the priesthood. The opportunity is given to independently participate in the sacraments of the church, conduct rituals and perform services.

The Gospel texts contain direct mention of three sacraments - baptism, repentance and communion; the God-established origin of the rest of the sacraments is attested by other books of Scripture and the writings of the first teachers of the church.

The connection between the sacrament of baptism and chrismation

How are the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of chrismation related? Both of them have always been closely linked in Baptism cleans and frees a person from the burden of original sin and a multitude of personal sins, and chrismation grants the grace of the Holy Spirit, allowing one to live according to church commandments and canons.

Since the 4th century, chrismation has been performed immediately after baptism. Both of these ordinances can be performed only once in a person's entire life.

The meaning of anointing

Personal Pentecost

Sometimes the sacrament of chrismation is called a person's personal Pentecost. You can understand the meaning of this phrase by remembering the pages of the Gospel.

In the sacrament of chrismation, the same thing happens to a person that the apostles experienced. The outer form of this phenomenon has changed - the flame now replaces the cruciform anointing with peace, but the inner side, the meaning of the sacrament remained unchanged - the descent of the Holy Spirit and the consecration of the Christian through the received grace.

The history of the establishment of the rite

In the early years of the spread of Christianity, the sacrament of chrismation had a completely different form.

Christians of the first centuries received a blessed gift through prayers and the personal laying on of hands by the apostles on the heads of new converts.

However, the spread of Christianity and the growing number of believers made it very difficult for the apostles to personally participate in the blessing of each new convert. Therefore, at the turn of the 3rd and 4th centuries, the outer ritual side of the sacrament of chrismation was changed. Now, instead of the apostolic ordering, they began to anoint certain parts of the body with the world. Confirmation was a sacrament, which was accompanied by prayers and the imposition of the sign of the cross (in Greek, "sphragis" - seal). Bishops and elders of the church appointed by the apostles were empowered to perform the anointing with chrism.

Stone

In the Holy Land, Jerusalem, there is a shrine known to the world as the Anointing Stone. According to the Gospel, this is exactly the stone on which the Savior's Body was laid after He was taken down from the cross. The followers of Christ - Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus - it was on this stone that they washed the Body of the Lord with fragrant peace, preparing it for burial. For preservation, the real one is covered with a slab of pink marble, but even through the slab it exudes myrrh, which is collected by numerous pilgrims to heal from ailments.

Holy myrrh

At the dawn of Christianity, only the apostles had the right to prepare and consecrate the world, and later to the bishops appointed by them. Today, in the Russian Orthodox Church, only the Patriarch can prepare and consecrate myrrh.

Cooking and sanctifying the world

In Russia, the process of preparation and consecration of the world takes place every two years. The preparation of all the necessary ingredients begins with the Week of the Cross - the fourth week of Great Lent. All the necessary ingredients are sprinkled with blessed water, a mixture of olive oil and wine is brewed. The aromatic components of the world are crushed and filled with a ready-made mixture of oil and wine. Then the myrrh remains until the end of Great Lent. On Holy Monday, the Patriarch consecrates everything that is used for the creation of the world (both ingredients and vessels), personally kindles the flame under the prepared cauldrons. The cooking of the world is accompanied by the constant reading of the Gospel. On Maundy Thursday, myrrh is consecrated, and it mixes with the world consecrated in previous years. This mixing has been going on for centuries. Due to this, today myrrh contains part of the substance that was brewed in the days of the apostles. Then the prepared and consecrated myrrh is distributed to all the parishes of the Church.

The meaning of the rite

Why are these parts of the body chosen for the ceremony? The answer to this question is given by the works of the saints of the church.

Ritual side of the sacrament

Confirmation is a sacrament that consists of four stages: anointing with ointment, walking around the font, washing the holy world, and cutting hair.

At the end of the sacrament of baptism (ends with a robe in white, reads a prayer and applies ointment to certain parts of the body, which must be wiped dry. Applying holy ointment, the priest figuratively draws a cross. Before ablution, no one should touch the anointed parts of the body.

Then the newly baptized with a lighted candle and his godparents (according to church custom they are called recipients) walk three times around the font, moving towards the sun, counterclockwise, as all processions of the cross are performed. Symbolically, this means entering the eternal life granted by the sacraments performed, as well as their eternal indestructible power.

Rites of the Eighth Day

The washing of the holy world at the dawn of the formation of the Christian faith took place on the eighth day after the sacrament was performed. Moreover, the newly baptized one wore white baptismal robes for a week, without taking off. He visited the temple, learning the secrets of the church and worship; during this period, the first communion of the novice Christian took place. Today the rites of the eighth day are performed on the day of baptism and chrismation. The priest says the words of the prayer, asking God for help in keeping the seal of the Holy Spirit intact and asking him to protect the new member of the church from the harmful effects of evil forces. Then he sprinkles the anointed one with the words of the ancient prayer: "You were justified (former sins were forgiven to man), you were enlightened (you took the path of the Orthodox faith), you were sanctified (during the first communion), you were washed in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." ... After this, the body parts anointed with myrrh are washed with a sponge soaked in clean water.

Having asked the Lord for a blessing for a new member of the church, the clergyman cuts off the hair on the head of the newly baptized - the back of the head, forehead, right and left sides. The cruciform hair cut repeats the procedure for applying a blessing to the head. Symbolically, the rite of chrismation means that a person voluntarily surrenders to God, is ready to sacrifice himself.

The cut hair is rolled into a ball of wax and lowered into the baptismal font.

Father, bless! Please tell me, I was at the service in the village (I went for the first time, I wanted to see the Temple). During the anointing, the priest did not anoint his forehead with a cross, as they always do, but put an end to it. And when she wanted to kiss her hand, he took it away and said: "I won't give it!" I then got confused and left. And now I think about it, and it seems that I have done something wrong. I can't understand what. Maybe my father thought that his lips were painted (I have a permanent)? Why didn't you anoint your forehead? Sorry for your ignorance. Save me, God!

Priest Dimitri Polinkevich answers:

Hello Tatiana! The service of anointing in the temple means a deep (abundant) mercy poured out by the Lord on those celebrating on a memorable day. church holiday... The very anointing with consecrated oil at the service imparts grace to us through a sensual object - oil (oil).

Usually it is customary to anoint the cross, in the sign of the saving Cross of the Lord, but this gesture itself does not have a canonical prescription. Why the priest anointed so is not known. Likewise, kissing the hand is a godly custom, for the very anointing with oil is already a blessing. It seems to me that you should not worry too much about these insignificant reasons, so as not to lose the triumph and sacredness of participation in the holy day of the holiday, because in different churches the non-canonical features of the service may differ.

Question:

Hello! Please tell me what is the meaning of the anointing of the oil, which the priest performs during the polyeleos service, or all-night vigil after reading the Gospel? There is information on the Internet that this is a type of blessing. One parishioner in our church explained that this is the seal of the Holy Spirit, without which a person cannot understand the Gospel. What is it really? And is the anointing of the anointing a sacrament or is it one of the rites? And another question related to this topic. In church shops they sell fragrant oil from icon lamps of various icons. I think this oil belongs to the same category as holy water and prosphora. But holy water (if I have the correct information) we take in the morning, on an empty stomach, after morning prayers and after a special prayer for the reception of prosphora and holy water. And how to use this oil correctly and what is it for? P.S. Thank you for always being so interesting and competently answering all questions!

The question is answered: Archpriest Dimitri Shushpanov

The priest's answer:

In Orthodoxy, in the broadest sense of the word, any sacred rite, including anointing of oil, can be called a Sacrament, since through them the saving power of God - grace, is called for the consecration of both man and inanimate matter. The difference between the rite and the Sacraments is that the rite is a shell, or external, visible side of the Sacrament. It is expressed in a certain sequence of rituals and prayers. The Anointing of Oil at Matins at All-night Vigil is called "polyeleos", or "many mercy," "many oils." The cruciform anointing of the foreheads of believers with blessed oil means the outpouring of God's grace on them. As you write, it is also one of the types of blessing, the sealing of a Christian with the "seal of the Living God" (Apoc. 7, 2-4). And it carries not only a symbolic load, but also really communicates the gift of grace in the sanctification of the soul and body. Historically, this tradition originates from the prophet Moses, who, at the command of God, anointed his brother Aaron and his sons with consecrated oil as priests, to serve at the tabernacle (Ex. 28 ch.). In New Testament time, the Savior sent disciples to cities and villages to preach the Gospel. They, “anointed many sick people with oil, and healed” (Mark 6, 13). The difference between Anointing and Anointing lies in the communicated Gifts of the Holy Spirit: in Anointing, God gives unique, only inherent in this Sacrament, grace-filled powers for the growth of a Christian in spiritual life and his achievement of Christian perfection, which consists in the victory over sin. Miro for the performance of this Sacrament can only be consecrated by the bishop, and oil - and the priests. Anointing can be performed as often as you like, and Confirmation can be performed once in a lifetime: at the moment of Baptism. The custom of drawing oil from the lamps hanging in front of miraculous icons, or the relics of saints - ancient, and has the goal of imparting to a person a Divine blessing, the sanctification of the soul and body, healing from ailments. Oil, with prayer, is applied to the diseased parts of the body, or taken internally.