Holy Unction, often in the form of the Anointing of the Sick, is the sacrament in which the Church conveys inwars blessings of God through outward anointing with Holy Oil. This is done for catechumens and the faithful at the Divine Liturgy in the Roman-Ruthenian tradition. Bishops and Priests are also anointed at their ordinations. Holy Unction in the form of the Anointing of the Sick prays for a person’s bodily and spiritual healing and anoints the sick with blessed oil.
Biblical foundation for the Anointing of the Such
The practice is associated especially with James 5:14–15, which directs the sick to call for the presbyters of the Church to pray and anoint them in the Lord’s name.
Pastoral purpose
Unction is not limited to the final moments of life. It may be celebrated in serious illness, frailty, or spiritual need, entrusting the person to God’s mercy whether healing comes through recovery, endurance, or peaceful preparation for death.