Holy Unction

The mystery of holy unction renews the body and cleanses the spirit

Six local Russian Orthodox clergy of the greater Seattle area, gathered together with the Bishop of Seattle, His Grace Theodosy, for the celebration of the mystery of holy unction. This service is normally done on Holy Wednesday of Holy Week, but because our bishop was celebrating this service throughout his territory (he is doing a total of seven such services of Unction) the Saint Nicholas Cathedral service was moved up by a couple of weeks.

The mystery of holy unction provides both physical and spiritual healing with holy oil blessed by the Holy Spirit, and is usually celebrated during Great Lent, but private services are also common. Everyone in a parish who is in good ecclesiastical standing may be anointed with the holy oil for the healing of spiritual and bodily ills. As this is one of the sacraments of the Orthodox Church, it may be administered only to Orthodox Christians.

As one of the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church, the oil carries God’s grace both to renew the body and to cleanse the spirit. This service follows the apostolic tradition mentioned in the New Testament: “…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 will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:14-15).

Holy unction is a mystery that provides spiritual comfort to the faithful Christian, and while seeking healing, asks for faithful to seek patience to accept the will of God whatever the physical outcome.

The full service is composed of psalms from the Old Testament, hymns of direct supplication to God, and prayers to the saints to intercede for the petitioner. In addition, there are seven readings from the Gospels preceded by seven other New Testament writings, notably the epistles of St. Paul and St. James. After each set of scriptural readings, a prayer is offered on behalf of the penitent by the priest asking for forgiveness and the sanctification of the oil. Traditionally, the service is celebrated by seven priests, but where fewer than seven priests are available (which is often the case), it will be served by at least one.

At the end of the service, the priest puts holy oil on the forehead, eyes, ears, nostrils, lips, chest, and hands of the parishioners in the form of the cross, saying: “O Holy Father, physician of our souls and bodies, heal Thy servant [name] from every physical and emotional affliction” (Russian tradition) or “The blessing of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ: for the healing of the soul and body of the servant of God, [name], always: now and ever, and unto ages of ages. Amen” (Greek tradition). The exact wording varies according to tradition and translation.

When the unction is received privately, the full service is often not performed, but simply the anointing itself is done along with a few prayers.

With love in Christ,
Abbot Tryphon

Photos: These photos were taken by Sergei Kalfov, during the Unction service at Saint Nicholas Cathedral in Seattle, with His Grace Bishop Theodosy presiding. Bishop Theodosy is doing seven such services around the diocese, and Bishop Irenei is doing five. Please pray for our vicar bishops, that they remain strong, and in good health. This service started with Matins, was over four hours long, and physically taxing. Good reason to remember to pray for our hierarchs.

With the blessing of Metropolitan Hilarion First Hierarch of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, our Ruling Bishop, His Eminence KYRILL Archbishop of San Francisco and Western America has been granted a leave of absence for the purpose of addressing his health..

His Grace Theodosy Bishop of Seattle has been appointed Тemporary Аdministrator with all of the privileges of a ruling hierarch. His Grace Irenei Bishop of Sacramento will assist Bishop Theodosy with the administration of the Diocese.

Please pray for the swift recovery, and return, of our archbishop.

Saturday March 24, 2018 / March 11, 2018
Fifth Saturday of the Great Lent: Laudation of the Mother of God. Tone eight.
Great Lent. Food with Oil

St. Sophronius, patriarch of Jerusalem (638).
St. Euthymius, Bishop of Novgorod, wonderwoker (1458).
Venerable Alexis of Goloseyevsky Skete, Kiev Caves (1917).
Venarable Patrikius confessor (1933).
New Hieromartyr Basil, priest (1937).
Venerable Sophronius, recluse of the Kiev Caves (13th c.).
Hieromartyr Pionius of Smyrna and those with him: Asclepiades, Macedonia, Linus and Sabina (250).
Translation of the relics of Martyr Epimachus of Pelusium to Constantinople (250).
St. Sophronius of Vratsa (1815) (Bulgaria).
Venerable George, abbot of Sinai, brother of St. John Climacus (7th c.).
Venerable John Moskhos (622).
Venerable Oengus the Culdee, compiler of first Irish martyrology (824) (Celtic & British).
Venerable George the New, wonderworker of Constantinople (970) (Greek).
St. Theodora, queen of Arta, wife of Despot Michael II of Epirus (1275) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Eulogius, metropolitan of Cordova (859).
Martyrs Trophimus and Thalus of Laodicea (300) (Greek).
Hieromartyr Constantine, in Kintyre.

The Scripture Readings

Hebrews 9:24-28

24 For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25 not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another— 26 He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment, 28 so Christ was offered once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly wait for Him He will appear a second time, apart from sin, for salvation.

Mark 8:27-31

Peter Confesses Jesus as the Christ

27 Now Jesus and His disciples went out to the towns of Caesarea Philippi; and on the road He asked His disciples, saying to them, “Who do men say that I am?”

28 So they answered, “John the Baptist; but some say, Elijah; and others, one of the prophets.”

29 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Peter answered and said to Him, “You are the Christ.”

30 Then He strictly warned them that they should tell no one about Him.

Jesus Predicts His Death and Resurrection

31 And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.