Anointing

The anointing is a since the time of ancient Near Eastern empires occupied, religious ritual of healing, sanctification, and the transmission and legitimation of political power.

Following the example of the biblical kings of the consecration rite of anointing was also true since the Middle Ages in many European countries as a decisive act of the King survey, which took place before the coronation. To date, the anointing is part of several sacraments and sacramentals of the Catholic Church. The anointing is also practiced in the Orthodox and various Protestant churches.

• 4.1 In the Roman Catholic Church
• 4.2 In the Orthodox Church
• 4.3 In the Protestant Church
• 4.4 In the Free Churches
• 4.5 In the charismatic movement

Origins

Even in the ancient Near Eastern cultures of Mesopotamia and Egypt, the use of most fragrant Salbölen or balms to care and healing purposes was known. It was usually only available to the wealthy, since it was mostly precious and sometimes - as archaeological finds (from Egypt and Babylonia ) show - in just precious vessels, eg of glass, was kept.

The civilizations in Mesopotamia and the Nile knew well already anointing rites, which went beyond the healing and nourishing oil use. In Sumer, Akkad and Babylon, they were practiced as acts in the establishment of priests and officials. The Egyptian Pharaoh anointed his highest ministers as a sign of power transmission. The mentioned in the Old Testament anointing the kings of Israel probably goes back to this model.

In biblical times

As a means of sanctification, so the consecration of priests, prophets and sacred objects an anointing oil for the first time in the second book of Moses ( 30.22 to 33 EU) described the Old Testament. It had to consist of myrrh, cinnamon, calamus and cassia. This aromatic plant constituents were mixed in olive oil, which began its fragrance. Such anointing oil, which was to be used exclusively for religious purposes, is also mentioned in Ps 133.2 EU:

The Hebrew term Mashiach or Messiah - translated, the Christ - referred to in the scriptures of Judaism various sacred persons or things:

• Moses ' brother Aaron and his sons in their function as a priest (Ex 30.22 to 33 EU)
• The tabernacle with the ark, the altar of burnt offering and all liturgical items (ibid.),
• The tabernacle (Ex. 40.9 EU),
• Jewish priests ( Lev 4.3 EU) and prophets (Isaiah 61.1 EU),
• Unleavened bread (Num 6.15 EU)
• But also the non-Jewish king Cyrus II of Persia (Isaiah 45.1 EU), which allowed the exiled Israelites to return to Judea.

The ritual anointing of a king first appears in the first book of Samuel. There is reported that the Prophet Samuel had anointed Saul as the first king of Israel (1 Sam 10,1 EU). The ritual was performed also at Saul's successor, David and Solomon should give the sovereign grace of God and a prominent status among the people, but also lead him realize that he in turn owes its power of God.

The eschatological expectation of salvation of Judaism focused on the restoration of the Old Testament kingship by the arrival of a future savior. When Mashiach - Anointed - this was referred to only in time " between the Testaments ", ie after 150 BC, the time of origin of the Book of Daniel, the youngest Scriptures of the Old Testament. The Hebrew term was transferred to the Septuagint with " Christos " in Greek, and later with "Christ" into Latin. With the word " Messiah," a not entirely correct and converted to mean transliteration of the Hebrew Mashiach, is referred to in the New Testament, Jesus of Nazareth, to represent him as a descendant of David and as the awaited savior.

Anointing as a Christian sacramental consecration of the rulers

Based on these biblical examples, the Christian kings of Europe could be anointed during their coronation since the early Middle Ages. The first documented by sources anointing was the king of the Visigoth ruler of Wamba in 672 Since about the year 1000, backed up but only since the 13th century followed the emperor of the Byzantine Empire this custom. The new ruler was regarded then as Christ Domini, as " the anointed of the Lord " who had received his authority not from men, but from God himself. So the anointing highlighted the idea of ​​the divine right of the ruler and was therefore the most important ritual in coronation both the Holy Roman Empire and France, England and most of the other kingdoms of the West.

In France

A long, possibly already going back to the Frankish period had the ritual tradition in France. Have in the Cathedral of Reims, the coronation church of the French kings, until the Revolution was a vial of " holy anointing oil " kept, according to legend a dove for the baptism of the Merovingian king Clovis I in the year 496 or 499 brought from heaven to earth should. In fact, probably was not until the Carolingian Pippin III. , Who had deposed the last Merovingian, anointed in 751 the king of the Franks. This religious ritual should give the King Pippin salvation which could be passed until then only by dynastic in the ruling dynasty.

Proven was the anointing since the time of the early Capetians in all coronations of French history. Before the archbishop of Reims, the newly crowned king handed over the actual insignia of power such as the crown, scepter and sword, he struck him with the right thumb a few drops of this holy oil, which was previously mixed on a paten with chrism on the chest. He spoke the ritual formula " Ungo te in Regem " ("I anoint you king "). The fusion of anointing oil and chrism underlined twice the sacredness of the French king.

In the Holy Roman Empire

At the coronation of the Holy Roman kings and emperors of the monarch retained during the anointing of a petticoat, which had holes through the anointing to body parts. The Coronator ( "King Kröner " ) - usually the Archbishop of Cologne, whose archdiocese the original coronation city of Aachen was - anointed the future king at the apex, chest, neck, between the shoulders, on the right arm, at the joint of the right arm and on the inner surface of the right hand with the words: "I have anointed thee king in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit." Then dried two auxiliary bishops from the anointing oil with cotton and rye bread. As the French king also the Roman- German king was only subsequently created the coronation robes and handed over the imperial insignia.

In England

The only one in the presence of customary royal anointing takes place at the coronation of British monarchs in Westminster Abbey. The English coronation liturgy provides that they, too, after the enthronement - takes place but before the presentation of the ruler insignia and the drafting of the crown - on the coronation chair of Edward I. The new monarch sets to advance his purple robe off and dressed in a simple white robe of linen. Once he has taken on the throne, the Dean of Westminster pours consecrated anointing oil from a vial into a spoon that holds the Archbishop of Canterbury. This now anoints the new king or the queen of the hands, chest and head. For the duration of the anointing hold four Knights of the Garter a canopy over the new rulers. This part of the coronation was still 1953 at the coronation of Elizabeth II as so sacred that it was not televised.

Sacred importance

The anointing as a religious rite at the coronation of the kings gave in addition to their secular power a sacred position. As a result of the Church's reform ideas that gave the priesthood since the 11th century precedence over the prince office, the sacred meaning of the anointing, however, since the 11th century came increasingly into the background. In Caeremoniale Romanum of 1516 is only this, the speech that the future emperor alone at the elbow of the right, the Schwertarms was to anoint by the cardinal deacon with catechumens. This rite took place in 1530 for Charles V in Bologna application. The later emperors were crowned in Frankfurt were liturgically nurmehr simple coronations after the Ceremonial of Bishops, which provided for an anointing with oil of catechumens. The thought of the royal priesthood went as the Holy Roman Empire lost virtually.

However, fed up to the French Revolution from the anointing Christ Domini notions of divine right of kings. Moreover, with the anointing in France and England was associated the idea that they bring to the king the miraculous power to heal sick with the scrofula people merely by laying on of hands. The ritual of touching sick by the anointed king, was even practiced in England until the 18th century in France until 1825, when Charles X. it undertook for the last time. It was in the Middle Ages, not least as a means to demonstrate the legitimacy of the king, since it was assumed, only the true king Concerning operative about the healing powers.

Anointing in churches

In the Roman Catholic Church

The Catholic Church recognizes in four of their seven sacraments different types of anointing:

In addition, the Catholic Church practiced anointing with sacramentals such as the consecration of a church, an altar or a chalice.

In the Orthodox Church

The Orthodox Church recognizes two sacraments, anointing:

In the Protestant Church

In the Protestant Church, which focuses mainly on the proclamation of the Word, the anointing of the sick for a long time was hardly practiced. As a result of the ecumenical movement she finds in recent times but there again reinforced entrance.

In the Free Churches

Also many free churches, such as the Evangelical Free Church congregations ( Baptist ) or the Evangelical Free churches practice anointing of the sick. This prayer ministry that belongs here in the remit of the elders of the church, generally proceeds as follows: The patient asks for this service or can call for the elders. After a brief discussion and the mutual confession of any existing sins ( James 5:16 EU), the elders put the patient on the hands and anoint him symbolically in the name of Jesus Christ with oil. The following are free intercessory prayers of the elders, in which the suffering and the wishes of the patient are named as specific as possible. Completion of the anointing of the sick often forms the common Prayed Psalm 23, in which also the anointing of God is mentioned (Ps 23,5 b EU).

In the charismatic movement

The Charismatic movement uses the term " anointing " very often in a figurative sense. While it is rare anointed with oil, is called within the charismatic movement in the sacred atmosphere of a meeting or the divine authority that a pastor, preacher or leader inherent as " anointing ". It is this understanding that is synonymous with the presence and action of the Holy Spirit.