Extreme Unction

Extreme Unction, a sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church, which, as the other sacraments supply spiritual aid in the various circumstances of life, is believed to impart to the Christian in death grace and strength to encounter the struggle, as well spiritual as bodily, of the dying hour. The rite of unction in different forms is common to several of the sacraments; the name 'extreme' is given to that of the present sacrament, because it is reserved for the last act of the Christian career. The Council of Trent declares this sacrament, although 'promulgated' in the well-known passage of James, v. 14, 15 (which Protestants regard as having more to do with the general belief in the sanative properties of oil), to have been 'instituted' by Christ. The Fathers frequently allude to the rite of unction, and although many of these allusions certainly refer to the unctions of baptism and confirmation, yet Catholics rely on several passages of Origen, Chrysostom, Cæsius of Arles, and Pope Innocent I. as decisive regarding the unction of the dying, as also upon the fact that in the various separated churches of oriental Christians—Greek, Coptic, Armenian, and Nestorian—the rite is found, although with many ceremonial variations. In the Roman Catholic Church the sacrament is administered by the priest, who, 'dipping his thumb in the holy oil, anoints the sick person, in the form of the cross, upon the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, hands, and feet; at each anointing making use of this form of prayer: "Through this holy unction, and His most tender mercy, may the Lord pardon thee whatever sins thou hast committed by seeing. Amen." And so of hearing, smelling, taste and speech, touch, and walking, adapting the form to the several senses.' Extreme unction is reputed by Catholics one of the sacraments 'of the living;'—i.e. it ordinarily requires that the recipient should have previously obtained remission of his sins by absolution or by perfect contrition; but it is held to remit, indirectly, actual sins not previously remitted, and also (although not infallibly, but according to the merciful designs of Providence) to alleviate, and even to dispel, the pains of bodily disease. The holy oil which forms the 'matter' of this sacrament must be blessed by the bishop—a ceremony which is performed with great solemnity once each year by the bishop, attended by a number of priests, on Maundy-Thursday. The oil so blessed is reserved for use during the year. In the Greek Church the sacrament is administered by several priests conjointly. The Greeks call this sacrament 'The Holy Oil,' and sometimes 'The Oil of Prayer.'