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The Anointing of the Sick is a biblically-based ceremony performed in certain Christian denominations for the benefit of a person who is ill, frail from age, or about to have major surgery. The ceremony petitions God for the person's spiritual and physical healing through the Holy Spirit, and is meant to unite the person with the suffering of Christ.

The Anointing of the Sick is most commonly associated with the Roman Catholic Church and, as such, this article explores the rite from the Catholic faith's perspective. In Catholicism, the Anointing of the Sick is considered a sacrament and centers on the Lord's healing presence and the forgiveness of sins.

What Does it Mean to be Anointed?

Most anointings in the Bible consisted of the smearing of olive oil or ointments on a person or object for secular or sacred purposes. Anointings with olive oil were commonplace in Biblical times, and having enough olive oil to use for anointings was a sign of prosperity and blessings ( 2 Kings 20:13 ESV; Joel 2:19). Scripture also notes that some anointings occurred spiritually through the infusion of the Holy Spirit.

1. Commonplace anointings with oil: In Biblical times, it was traditional to anoint people or objects for secular reasons. For example, Jews showed hospitality to their visitors by anointing the visitor's head with oil ( Luke 7:46; Psalm 23:5). Further, Jews anointed their own head and bodies with oil to smooth and refresh their hair and skin ( Ruth 3:3; Psalms 104:15). In addition, the Bible tells us that in times of war, soldiers prepared their shields by smearing oil on the shield's leather to make the leather less susceptible to cracking and, thus, make the shield better-suited for battle ( Isaiah 21:5).

2. Medicinal anointings with oil: Oil was also used for medicinal purposes to heal the sick and soothe the wounds of the injured. For example, the prophet Isaiah mentions olive oil's therapeutic qualities in his writings ( Isaiah 1:6), and the Good Samaritan knew to mix oil with wine to dress the wounds of the man who fell among robbers ( Luke 10:34). Further, St. James also recommends anointing the sick with oil to help them recover from their infirmity and to confer upon them the forgiveness of sins ( James 5:14-15). The Bible also records that the Twelve Apostles healed many of the sick in their day by anointing them with oil ( Mark 6:13).

3. Religious anointings with oil: The practice of anointing with oil for religious reasons was also customary in Biblical times. To " anoint" in a theological context means to smear or pour oil over a person or object to set it apart for divine use. Prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil to symbolize their divine appointment to God's service ( 1 Kings 19:16; Exodus 29:21; 1 Samuel 16:13). Fragrant ointments were also used in religious rituals to anoint the dead to prepare them for burial ( Mark 14:8; John 19:39-40).

In a similar way, objects were also consecrated with oil to be set apart for religious use. Scripture tells us that objects anointed with oil included: the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, altars, lampstands, and pillars ( Exodus 30:25-29; Genesis 28:18).

4. Religious anointings with the Holy Spirit: Scripture also declares that people can be anointed with the Holy Ghost. The most prominent example of this is, of course, Jesus, who was anointed with the Holy Spirit and power ( John 1:32-42; Acts 10:38).

Aside from Jesus's anointing with the Holy Spirit, Christians are anointed by God with the Holy Spirit who dwells in us ( 1 John 2:20; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22). A Christian's anointing with the Holy Ghost differs from Jesus's anointing in that God imbued Jesus with the Holy Ghost without limit so that all the fullness of deity dwells in Jesus Christ ( John 3:34; Colossians 2:9).

The Roman Catholic Church considers the Anointing of the Sick-formerly known as Extreme Unction-to be a sacrament. A sacrament is a ritual performed to convey God's grace to the recipient through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Anointing of the Sick in the Bible

The practice of the Anointing of the Sick is based primarily on James 5:14-15, which states:
Is anyone among you sick? 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 one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
The sacrament of Anointing is also grounded in the Twelve Apostles' practice of healing the sick with anointing oil ( Mark 6:13).

Photo Credit:©GettyImages/RandyDollins

Reasons for Anointing the Sick

God promises to heal His faithful and the sick are anointed because they are petitioning God for this healing, if it's in His will ( Exodus 15:26).

Scripture gives examples of God working through ordinary people to heal the sick through the ordinary person's anointing them with oil, laying hands on them, and praying for them ( James 5:14-15; Mark 6:13). Today, Catholics request the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick to ask God for a similar healing. The person requesting the anointing must be either gravely ill, frail from advanced age, or facing major surgery ( Catechism of the Catholic Church "CCC" 1514-1515).

Catholics believe that during the Anointing of the Sick, Jesus Himself-through the rituals of the priest-touches the sick or frail person to spiritually heal them from sin and, if it's in God's will, also from their physical (or psychological) ailment ( CCC 1504, 1512). Catholics believe that even where there is no physical healing, the main purpose of the anointing is to heal the recipient spiritually through the Holy Spirit's gifts of strength, peace, and courage to endure the pain that accompanies the sick person's ailment ( CCC 1520).

The Process and Prayer for Anointing the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick can be celebrated in the family home with relatives present, in a hospital with relatives or hospital staff present, or in a church, whether only the ill person is in attendance or a group of ill people and their families. The presence of others, although not necessary, helps to assure the infirm person that the faith community that is Jesus's body is present in prayer.

The Anointing of the Sick ceremony generally consists of the following stages:

1. The sprinkling of holy water on the sacrament's recipient and others present

2. Introductory prayers during which a priest may include a brief penitential rite if the person to be anointed hasn't already received the Sacrament of Reconciliation (commonly referred to as confession) prior to the anointing ( John 20:19-23)

3. Readings from Holy Scripture

4. The laying on of hands by the priest in anointing the sick person's forehead and hands with holy oil to petition the Holy Spirit's presence upon the sick person ( Mark 6:13; CCC 1513). During the anointing, the priest says the following prayer:

Through this holy anointing may the Lord in His love and mercy help you with the grace of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord who frees you from sin save you and raise you up ( James 5:14-15; CCC 1513).

5. The communal recitation of the Lord's Prayer ( Matthew 6:9-13)

6. Holy Communion if the infirm person is able to receive the Eucharist ( John 6:54)

7. The dismissal, which includes a blessing

Notably, if the sick person who received the anointing recovers and, at a later time, falls gravely ill again, he can receive this sacrament again ( CCC 1515).

Is the Same Process Used for Last Rites?

The Anointing of the Sick differs from Last Rites in that a person doesn't have to be dying to be given the sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. However, when the Anointing of the Sick is administered to someone who is at the point of death, Last Rites may be given in conjunction with the anointing.

Last Rites encompass the administration to a dying person of the Anointing of the Sick, Penance, and Holy Communion. Last Rites focus in particular on the dying person's final reception of the Holy Eucharist. This is because, just as Holy Communion nourishes the recipient during his journey through his earthly life, Holy Communion also prepares the recipient for his journey passing over into his eternal life.

For this reason, Holy Communion that is given to someone at the brink of death is called , which means "provision for a journey" in Latin.

Anointing of the Sick in Other Christian Denominations

The Eastern Orthodox and Anglican churches also consider the Anointing of the Sick to be a sacrament. Other Christian denominations-such as the Lutheran and Methodist churches-don't consider anointing the sick to be a sacrament but do offer anointing ceremonies, the nature of which varies from church to church.

In recent years, healing services that anoint with oil have become more common in Protestant denominations generally.

What Christians Should Remember about the Anointing of the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick is grounded in the words of St. James to anoint the sick with oil to bring about healing and forgiveness ( James 5:14-15). The rite is meant to unite the recipient with the suffering of Christ by calling upon the Holy Spirit to imbue the sick and frail with the strength, peace, and courage to endure the sufferings of illness or old age in Jesus' name.

Importantly, the sacrament acknowledges that God's plan for us may or may not include healing us from our physical infirmities. As such, the Anointing of the Sick is not meant to take the place of seeking treatment through medical professionals. Rather, the ceremony adds to the healing resources available by offering the sick person spiritual healing as he or she is prayed over, anointed with holy oil, united with the Lord's healing presence, and forgiven for prior sins.

Photo Credit: ©GettyImages/yelo34

Dolores Smyth is a nationally published faith and parenting writer. She draws inspiration for her writing from everyday life. Connect with her @LolaWordSmyth.

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What Is Anointing of the Sick and Is it Biblical?

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The Anointing of the Sick is most commonly associated with the Roman Catholic Church and, as such, this article explores the rite from the Catholic faith's perspective. In Catholicism, the Anointing of the Sick is considered a sacrament and center...

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Normally when we talk about baptism we are referring to what we call believer's baptism. But there are at least seven different baptisms mentioned in the Bible.

Some of these baptisms happened in the past to illustrate a future truth. Or, they are Old Testament predictors of New Testament events. We call this typology. When looking at types, it is important to remember that they are usually limited to a certain aspect of the item or person that typifies another item or person. Therefore we should not read more into the "type" than what the Bible mentions. This is also an important principle to remember when explaining parables. When taken too far, parables and types either break down in their equality to the thing being illustrated or conclusions are drawn that are unbiblical.

Baptism of Moses

Moses is considered a type of Christ. This means that Moses represents Christ in some way. In 1 Corinthians 10:1-4 the Israelites are said to have been baptized unto Moses. This is talking about how the children of Israel were led by Moses and judgment came by water. However, the judgment was not on those "baptized unto Moses"; they passed through on dry ground. The judgment by water was against the armies of Pharaoh.

Baptism of John

This is a baptism that identified the participants with the coming Messiah. It was a physical baptism into water that signified a spiritual repentance in the heart of the believer (Matthew 3:6-11).

Acts 19:1-5 shows how this baptism has ended. People are not baptized for the sake of repentance today, but are baptized into the Lord Jesus Christ.

And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. (Acts 19:1-5)

Baptism of Fire

There are several views as to what the baptism of fire is as mentioned in the Bible. Three of them are: eternal torment, trials and testing, and conviction from the Holy Spirit.

Eternal Torment

Fire is often used as a symbol of judgment in the Bible. We see this when God struck down the prophets of Baal with fire as well as the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. Future cleansing by fire will come during the time of Revelation (2 Peter ). Those who are judged eternally will be judged by fire (Revelation -15).

Trials and Testing

A second interpretation is that baptism by fire refers to trials and testing in the life of Christians. 1 Peter 1:7 tells us that the trying of our faith purifies us as gold tried in fire. 1 Corinthians says that our works will be tried in fire, not in punishment, but for the purpose of sorting out our reward.

Conviction From the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit convicts believers of their wrongdoing. This conviction comes from a God who is a consuming (purifying, cleansing) fire (Hebrews ). Later in Hebrews (chapter 10) the Christian is told he will be convicted and chastened by the Holy Spirit of God.

Baptism of Jesus

Jesus was physically baptized by John in the Jordan river. He did not need to repent. He also did not need to identify with the coming Messiah. So why was Jesus baptized and what was different about His baptism and ours today? The baptism of Jesus was a public submission to the will of God. Jesus was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Acts , 38) at His public water baptism.

As Prophet, Priest, and King, Jesus was anointed in obedience to the Old Testament Law (1 Kings ; Exodus 28:41; 1 Samuel 10:1). Jesus showed obedience to the will of God and the fulfillment of the law.

Baptism of the Cross

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him . (2 Corinthians 5:21)

God judged the sins of mankind on the cross of Christ. He bore our sins on the cross (1 Peter ).

Jesus asked His disciples if they could drink of the same cup and be baptized with the same baptism as He (Mark ). They answered that they could in verse 39. Jesus confirmed that they could; however, we know that these men did not take on the sins of the world. Then to what was Jesus referring?

Romans 6 says that Christians are baptized into Jesus' death. We are buried and raised to new life. But our baptism into Christ is not a physical death, burial and resurrection. Rather, it is a spiritual one. We are dead to the world and walk in new life in Christ (Romans 6:1-11). Sin no longer has the power over our bodies.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

At salvation we are placed into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians ). Acts 1:5 makes a separation between water baptism and baptism by the Holy Spirit. Water baptism (or believer's baptism) was an outward expression of repentance and identification with Christ, but it did not save a person (1 Peter ). The regenerative work of the Holy Spirit came when He indwelt believers (John ; , 17, 26; Acts 1:8).

Believer's Baptism

We are placed into the body of Christ by the Holy Spirit at salvation. This is a separate event from believer's baptism in water which is used as a physical representation of a spiritual truth. Christ's death, burial, and resurrection are what is necessary to save us and guarantee our resurrection. Believer's baptism is a way to identify with the death of our Savior and to show the world an internal repentance and spiritual regeneration (Romans 6; Matthew 28:19).

Believer's baptism is also done as a step of obedience. It is not done to earn salvation, but as a way to show commitment to Christ and His will. We see baptism as a form of obedience in Acts 2 when looking at the formation of the early church. The new believer's heard the Word of God; repented of their sins; and believed Christ was the answer to their sins. Then they were baptized and joined the church (Acts -42):

Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation. Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Various Baptisms

There are different types of baptism mentioned in the Bible. Therefore, it would be inappropriate to apply every reference of baptism in the Bible to only one type of baptism. When you come across the word 'baptism' or the concept of baptism in the Bible, take some time to evaluate to which type of baptism the Bible is referring.

Want to learn more about the baptism of Jesus? Take a look at this article:
Baptism of Jesus: Bible Story and Importance

Reference - The Holy Bible, King James Version. YouTube video "Jesus Messiah" by Chris Tomlin

Tagged as: Baptism, bible

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Normally when we talk about baptism we are referring to what we call believer's baptism. But there are at least seven different baptisms mentioned in the Bible. Some of these baptisms happened in the past to illustrate a future truth. Or, they are Old Testament predictors of New Testament events.

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8 Things You Need to Know About Confirmation - LifeTeen.com for Catholic Youth

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Maybe you have recently been dedicating a lot of time preparing and learning about the Sacrament of Confirmation so that, in the next few months, you can count yourself as one of the thousands of Catholics that receive it every year. If this is the case, congratulations! Read on for some crucial facts that everyone preparing for Confirmation should know.

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The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick

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C4: Ignite Your Catholic Faith - Why is Confirmation Important?

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When people are baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, they become Christians, right? So, why do Catholics have confirmations? Bishop Don Hying shares some great information on this special sacrament. Based upon the Catechism of the Catholic Church (1285).

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Stop Being a Chicken: Bishop Barron on the Realities of Baptism

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3 Biblical Sources: Genesis 1- the Creation Accounts, Isaiah 11- the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, Ezekiel 37- Valley of Bones
Matter & Form: Chrism & laying of hands, & the scrutinies, renewal of n

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Baptism: Water & "I baptize you in the name of the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit"
Confirmation: Chrism & laying of hands, & the scrutinies, renewal of baptismal vows, & anointing with the words- "Be sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit"
Anointing of the Sick:  Oil of the Sick & forehead & hands, & prayers of healing

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Baptism: Sanctifying grace, Body of Christ, theological & cardinal virtues, & original & all sins are forgiven
Confirmation: 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Anointing of the Sick: Unites sick with the passion of Christ, gift of strength, consecrated again, nourishment, the Church intercedes to help sick & the sick assist the Church

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Baptism: Genesis 1- the Creation Accounts, Genesis 7- Noah & the Flood, & Joshua 3- Crossing of the Jordan River
Confirmation: Genesis 1- the Creation Accounts, Isaiah 11- the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit, & Ezekiel 37- Valley of Bones
Anointing of the Sick: Old Testament- medicinal anointing, James 5:15- power of effective prayer, & New Testament- miracles of physical, social, & spiritual healing

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Baptism: "All of us who desire the kingdom of God are, by the Lord's decree, under an equal and rigorous necessity of seeking after the grace of Baptism"- St. Basil, "Unless a man is born again of water and the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"- St. Thomas Aquinas, & "Baptism is not the work of man but of Christ, and this sacrament is so holy that it would not be defiled, even if the minister were a murderer"- St. Isidore
Confirmation: “In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of promised Holy Spirit.” - St. Paul,  "Remember, then, that you received a spiritual seal, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, the spirit of holy fear. Keep safe what you received. God the Father sealed you, Christ the Lord strengthened you and sent the Spirit into your hearts as the pledge of what is to come."- St. Ambrose, & "But it is God who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us, by putting his seal on us and giving us his Spirit in our hearts as a first installment."- St Paul
Anointing of the Sick: “Is There Someone Sick, is it You (or Gravely Ill)…Let them call for the priest.”- St. James, "Our priests have received the power not of treating with the leprosy of the body, but with spiritual uncleanness; not of declaring cleansed, but of actually cleansing"- St. John, & "See to it, brethren, that whoever is ill hasten to the church, both that he may receive health of body and will merit to obtain the forgiveness of his sins.”- St. Caesarius of Arles

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Baptism: Welcome to all, infant baptism, & if not, age of consent & desire
Confirmation: Baptized, 1st Communion, free of sin, sponsor, & level of discernment through religious education
Anointing of the Sick: Old age, gravely ill, & upcoming surgery or large medical procedure