Chrismation
Chrismation
is also known as Holy Chrism. As we said in the lesson on Baptism, the baptized
person is cleansed from original sin and from all other sins that he has
committed up until that time. He is reborn and becomes a member of the Church--the
mystical body of Christ. He begins the new life. This new life, however, has
its temptations. Satan does not stop working. The way Satan deceived Adam and
Eve, so too does he try to deceive us everyday. Moreover, man does not cease to
be free. He still has choice--the choice to follow God or to be deceived and
follow the devil--the choice to do the will of God or to do his own will. The
road is uphill and difficult. Man is a soldier who belongs, as we have already
said, to the militant Church and so he struggles. For this battle he needs the
armour of the Holy Spirit, and this is what chrismation provides. It gives the
baptized person the armour, the gifts of the Holy Spirit so that he may
continue his battle as a soldier.
Chrismation
is a God-sent sacrament. It is based on the practice of the apostles whereby
they would place their hands on those who had believed and had been baptized so
that by the laying on of the Apostles hands these would receive the Holy
Spirit. The two Scriptural passages that support this practice are as follows:
"Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy
Spirit," and "when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Spirit
came on them" (Acts 8:17;19:6). There is no doubt then that the sacrament
of chrismation is God-sent and is an apostolic practice.
Chrismation
is done immediately after baptism. In the past, in its attempt to closely
follow the practice of the apostles, the Church practised chrismation performed
by the Bishop. Because this was not always possible, the Church established the
custom of preparing the Holy Chrism to be used by the priests. The Holy Chrism
is prepared at the Ecumenical Patriarchate from forty different aromatic
substances that symbolize the many gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is prepared
with the participation of many hierarchs (many of whom are from the
autocephalous Orthodox Churches) and is then distributed to all the Churches.
With
this Holy Chrism the priest, immediately after baptism and having read the
specified prayer, anoints the baptized person on all the members of his body
and repeats the following phrase: "The seal of the gift of the Holy
Spirit. Amen." And so the baptized person is anointed with the Holy Spirit
in his renewed life and receives the gifts--the armour--of the Holy Spirit as
he begins his spiritual battle. The phrase "the seal of the gift of the
Holy Spirit" that is repeated by the priest is based on the words of St.
Paul when he says that "it is God who establishes us with you in Christ,
and has commissioned us; he has put his seal upon us and given us His spirit in
our hearts as a guarantee"(2 Corinthians 1:21-22). In other words, it is
God who anoints us and seals us to remain faithful to Christ by putting in our
hearts the Holy Spirit.
Even
though chrismation is a God-sent sacrament, an apostolic practice, and is found
in Holy Scripture, the Protestant churches have nonetheless done away with it,
viewing it as non-sacramental and unnecessary for the salvation of man. The
Roman Catholic Church accepts the sacrament of chrismation but performs it at a
later age, between seven and twelve.
Heavenly, triune God, You--Who never wished to see the destruction of Your
creation, Who gave to strayed Adam and humanity a second chance to be saved
with the incarnation of the Son, Who with baptism cleanse us from original sin,
Who sanctify us as honourable members of the mystical body of Christ, Who with
the sacrament of chrismation--grant us the gifts--the armour--of the Holy
Spirit so that we may struggle in our earthly battle. Lord strengthen our will
so that we may always follow You and do Your will. Do not allow us to be
induced by Satan to do our own will. Lead us safely to our theosis and
salvation. We fervently thank You.