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Buckingham Palace has announced the preparation of a new anointing oil for King Charles’ coronation ceremony. The sacred “chrism oil” was consecrated in a religious ceremony at Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
The anointing oil is one of the most sacred elements of the ceremony. The holy oil is symbolically touched on the monarch’s head, chest, and hands. It reverberates christening and ordination into religious orders.
Earlier, the oil included ambergris from the whale’s intestines and civet oil from the glands of small mammals. However, the latest version of the sacred oil is animal free. The new anointing oil contains olive oil scented with a mixture of jasmine, rose, sesame, cinnamon, orange blossom, and essential oils.
Justin Welby appreciates making the oil using the sacred olives from the Mount of Olives. It is a mountain ridge outside Jerusalem that is religiously important to Christians.
Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, says, “This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land.”
He added, “From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place. As we prepare to anoint The King and The Queen Consort, I pray that they would be guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.”
Since 1066, the Archbishop of Canterbury has performed the anointing service on the coronation day. The coronation ceremony will take place on 6 May.
