King Charles coronation oil is consecrated in Jerusalem
Oil has been created using olives from two groves on Mount of Olives, and a formula dating back centuries
The fragrant chrism oil that will be used to anoint King Charles during his coronation in May was made sacred in Jerusalem on Friday.
A
ceremony took place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where the holy
oil was consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III, and
the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem, Hosam Naoum.
It
has been created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of
Olives, at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Monastery of the
Ascension.
The olives were pressed just outside
Bethlehem and the oil has been perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine,
cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom.
The
king will receive the sovereign’s orb, sceptre and coronation ring and
will be crowned and blessed during the ceremony at Westminster Abbey on 6
May. Camilla, the Queen Consort, will also be anointed with holy oil
and crowned.
The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said:
“I am honoured and grateful that His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III
and Archbishop Hosam Naoum have consecrated the oil that will be used to
anoint His Majesty the King.
“I want to thank
especially His Beatitude for providing this coronation oil, which
reflects the king’s personal family connection with the Holy Land and
his great care for its peoples. I am also delighted that the Anglican
archbishop in Jerusalem shared in the consecration of the oil.
“Since
beginning the planning for the coronation, my desire has been for a new
coronation oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives.
This demonstrates the deep historic link between the coronation, the
Bible and the Holy Land.
“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.”
The oil is based on that used at the
coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953, with a formula that
dates back hundreds of years.
