Sakrament namaszczenia chorych w Kościele prawosławnym
The Sacrament of Holy Unction in the Orthodox Church

Summary/Abstract: The origins of the Sacrament of Holy Unction are found in the first centuriesof Christianity. Prayer and anointing the sick with oil shows faithfulness to the teachingsof the New Testament: “Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray. Is any cheerful?Let him sing praise. Is any among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, andlet them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord; and the prayerof faith will save the sick man, and the Lord will raise him up; and if he has committedsins, he will be forgiven” (James 5:13‑16).Providing care for sick Christians is the obligationof the whole Church. This rite should be performed in the church, and in the presenceof as many parishioners as possible. If the sick person is not able to move, the rite is thenperformed at home or in the hospital.“The whole Church should be engaged in the rite of healing, because the sicknessof one of its members, as in the case of sin, has an impact on the whole Church”. This ritealso requires that seven priests, who read fragments of the Gospel and prayers, and lateranoint the sick with oil, be present.

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