The Sacrament of Unction (Anointing of the Sick)

Dear brothers and sisters,

The sacrament of Unction (Anointing of the Sick) during this Great Lent will be held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral on the following days:

— Thursday, March 27 at 5:00 PM;

— Sunday, March 30 at 5:00 PM.

What is the sacrament of Unction?

Unction (or Anointing of the Sick) is one of the seven sacraments of the Church, aimed at bringing healing grace from God to a person suffering from physical and spiritual illnesses.

This sacrament was established by Christ Himself, as mentioned in the Gospel of Mark. When the apostles, spreading the Good News across the earth, encountered people suffering from diseases or possessed by evil spirits, they healed the sick in God’s name through the laying on of hands and prayer.

It sometimes happens that illnesses are a result of sinful living. And with the forgiveness of sins, healing may come as well. Both the priesthood and the person participating in the sacrament pray for this, and such miraculous healings often occur. However, it should not be said that the Unction is meant solely to heal physical illness. One cannot be certain that this will happen, but we must pray and hope.

The Anointing of the Sick is called Unction because it is usually performed collectively by several clergymen (according to the tradition, there should be seven, but it can be performed by a smaller number in practice).