The unique “chrism” or holy anointing oil for the coronation of Britain’s King Charles III has been blessed in Jerusalem’s Old City. It will be used for the coronation of Charles and his wife Camilla in May.
According to a statement from Buckingham Palace, the oil has been infused with olives from two groves on the Mount of Olives, near Bethlehem in the West Bank. On Friday morning, the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, and Anglican Archbishop Hosam Naoum in The Church of the Holy Sepulchre consecrated the palace.
It was then pressed and scented with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber, and orange blossom. The Archbishop of Canterbury will use it to anoint the monarch’s head, hands, and breasts.
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In a press release, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby said that the ceremony in Jerusalem reflected “The King’s family connection with the Holy Land and his great care for its peoples.” He added that it would also be “rooted in longstanding traditions and pageantry” and look towards the future.
Jesus’ tomb restored
Renovations to Christianity’s holiest site, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, have finally been completed, and the shrine’s 2,000-year-old chamber where Christians believe Jesus was buried has been opened. It’s a feat of engineering that has brought rival Christian denominations together and created a new era of pilgrimage to the site.
Traditionally, the custodians of Christianity’s most important sites have shared the responsibility of controlling and maintaining them. In the case of the Holy Sepulchre, six Christian groups – Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholic, Armenian Orthodox, Egyptian Coptic, Syrian-Jacobites, and Ethiopian Orthodox – control designated chapels and areas on site.
Each group has its time allocation for prayer and services and its own regulations relating to when the site is open or closed to the public. The result is a complex status quo that takes work to change and rests on written agreements.
The church is surrounded by an immovable wooden ladder, placed in place since the 18th century, reminding each party that it has to seek its consent before altering or repairing any part of the monument.
At one point, the Roman emperor Hadrian built the church around 125 A.D. to assert Roman authority over the area. Throughout the centuries, however, the church has fallen into disrepair.
Now, a crew of specialists has been hired to restore the Holy Edicule and the shrine where Christians believe Jesus was buried. The restoration is expected to be finished by April 16 this year, just in time for Easter.
The anointing will occur in a room on the church’s first floor. It is a tradition that is not televised and is usually performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The king and his wife will be anointed at the start of the coronation service, followed by an orb, crown, and scepter. Then, they will be crowned with the regal St Edward’s crown.