Confirmation and Chrism

[Dovekin]

In a recent thread, someone wrote about their reception at the Easter Vigil and mentioned the “balm” he was anointed with. I thought he and maybe others would like to know something about that balm, which we call Chrism.

This holy Chrism, a mixture of olive oil and perfume,
has been consecrated by our Bishop and the Priests of our Diocese.
It will be used to anoint infants after Baptism,
those who are to be confirmed,
Bishops and Priests at their Ordination,
and altars and churches at the time of their dedication.
USCCB Order for the Reception of the Holy Oils

Chrism is consecrated by the bishop at a special mass in Holy Week called the Chrism mass. One version of the consecratory prayer:

And so, Father, by the power of your love, make this mixture of oil and perfume a sign and source + of your blessing. Pour out the gifts of your Holy Spirit on our brothers and sisters who will be anointed with it. Let the splendor of holiness shine on the world from every place and thing signed with this oil.
Above all, Father, we pray that through this sign of your anointing you will grant increase to your Church until it reaches the eternal glory where you, Father, will be the all in all, together with Christ your Son, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, for ever and ever. Amen

 

[dconklin]

Good job presenting this? Are you a catechist?

I, for one, love the smell of chrism. I can remember wife smelled of chrism all day after she help our Godson/nephew during and after his Baptism. The perfume’s main ingredient is balsam. I have found balsam-based incense.

 

[KD8TZC]

If you ever have the chance to attend the Chrism mass, please do. It is a very beautiful mass.

 

[Dovekin]

I have known people who did not like the smell. The principal ingredient is olive oil, but balsam provides most of the scent. The aroma is a sign of the Holy Spirit, so one hopes it will be pleasant.

Eastern Orthodox usually use a mixture of 64 ingredients based on the Torah. It takes four days to prepare before it is blessed by the Patriarch, who sends it out to all their dioceses. Since they “chrismate” their infants at baptism, which is equivalent to confirmation, not too many smell their chrism, or myron as it is often called. (unless they add a ceremony…) But Catholics only use olive oil and balsam.

Yes, I am a catechist. And I have a special devotion, affection for the chrism and the Chrism mass. It is a central symbol of our faith that I think helps most people better understand confirmation and hopefully the Holy Spirit.

 

[Dovekin]

This is one of my favorite pictures of a Chrism Mass. The Armenian Catholicos (patriarch) with bishops of other Armenian dioceses gathered for the consecration of the myron (chrism). These masses can be among the most elaborate, even if it is just the bishops and priests of a single diocese, and not a Patriarchal gathering.

(Please Note: This uploaded content is no longer available.) https://ctd-thechristianpost.netdna...-was-one-of-the-gifts-to-chri.jpg?w=640&h=480

 

[HeDa]

I have been to the Chrism Mass in my cathedral a couple of times and I highly recommend it to everyone. I would expand what Dovekin wrote a couple of posts up, that it also increases our understanding of the priesthood as the priests renew their vows.

When I had a meeting with my old reformed pastor to let him know I was becoming Catholic he asked me where he could buy more oil for anointing the sick (as it is in the Bible that you anoint the sick with oil). That Reformed church has no tradition of blessing oil. He was a bit surprised that the blessed oils are given to the priests by the bishop after the Chrism Mass and can not be bought!

 

[jimXroberts]

At the end of the Rite of Confirmation, the bishop cleans his hands to remove the remains of Chrism (not to mention the essence of teenager). Traditionally, he presses his fingers into wedges of lemon which neutralises the balsam, and then into a slice of bread to absorb the oil and lemon juice. He then washes with soap and water. The lemon and bread are later buried and the water poured into the sacrarium. In England and Wales, we still use the lemon, but not the bread.

 

[Genesis315]

At the end of the Rite of Confirmation, the bishop cleans his hands to remove the remains of Chrism (not to mention the essence of teenager). Traditionally, he presses his fingers into wedges of lemon which neutralises the balsam, and then into a slice of bread to absorb the oil and lemon juice. He then washes with soap and water. The lemon and bread are later buried and the water poured into the sacrarium. In England and Wales, we still use the lemon, but not the bread.

As a teenager I served as an altar boy at a confirmation–which was basically the All-Star game of parish altar boys haha–and was assigned to lemon duty