By John Ikani
The forthcoming coronation of King Charles III on May 6 will see him anointed with a sacred oil that has been consecrated at a Christian holy site in Jerusalem, according to a recent announcement from Buckingham Palace.
The “chrism oil” was produced using olives harvested from two groves located on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge located east of Jerusalem’s Old City that holds significant religious importance for Christians.
The olives, sourced from the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Monastery of the Ascension, were pressed just outside Bethlehem, where Christians believe Jesus Christ was born.
The creation of this new oil was a desire expressed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, since the coronation planning began.
“From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place.
This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land,” said Welby in a statement.
“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 anointing service, a duty that has been performed by the Archbishop of Canterbury since 1066, will take place on coronation day.
The oil was consecrated in a ceremony held at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, a location of significant religious importance to Christians as it is believed to be where Jesus was crucified.
The consecration ceremony was conducted by the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, The Most Reverend Hosam Naoum.
While the coronation oil is based on the centuries-old formula used in the anointing of King Charles III’s mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1953, there are some notable differences.
Unlike Queen Elizabeth’s oil, which contained a blend of orange, rose, cinnamon, musk, and ambergris oils (derived from the intestine of the sperm whale), King Charles III’s sacred mix is made from oils of sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber, and orange blossom, and contains no animal-based ingredients.
The oil will also be used to anoint Camilla, the Queen Consort, as announced in the statement.
