+ The Seven Sacraments of the Coptic Orthodox Church The Sacrament of Chrismation

The Sacrament of Chrismation / Myron / Holy Anointment / Holy Seal / Confirmation, is a Holy Sacrament, with which we get the seal of the Holy Spirit. The word MYRON is a Greek word means Ointment or Fragrant Perfume.

Did the Apostles get anointed? On The Pentecost the Apostles were anointed for their divine mission, to continue the preaching, healing and sanctifying the ministry of Christ in the world. On the Pentecost day, the Holy Spirit dwelled in the Apostles filling them with the power and the wisdom of God enabling them to preach Christianity in different locations to different people with different languages.

What happened to Jesus Christ at Epiphany and to the Apostles at Pentecost takes place in the life of each member of the body of Christ (Believers) immediately following Baptism through the Sacrament of Chrismation. Baptism and Chrismation are not separated in Our Coptic Orthodox Church, because one is baptism with water and the other is baptism by Spirit. Jesus said: “Unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he can not enter the kingdom of God” (John 3:5)

What is Chrismation?

Chrismation is the fulfillment of Baptism as Pentecost is of Easter. Chrismation is receiving the Holy Spirit Who will dwell in us to able us to live the life of God into which we are born through Baptism. Chrismation is the Sacrament by which our bodies are made temples of the Holy Spirit. The whole body is anointed, sealed and sanctified as a temple.

Chrismation is the sacrament by which we are ordained into the body of Christ. Chrismation is the SEAL of the Holy Spirit: –The Seal of the Holy Spirit consecrates your body organs and sense organs; they are sealed / dedicated to the service of God. –The Seal of the Holy Spirit is the signature of God upon His new creation. –The Seal of the Holy Spirit denotes that this creation is owned and guaranteed by God. –The Seal of the Holy Spirit is the imprint of the One Who owns us.

Every anointed person has been sealed with the Seal of the Holy Spirit to denote that he is the property of God, elected and chosen by Him as His personal belonging. From the moment we receive the Seal of the Holy Spirit, we do not belong any more to ourselves but to CHRIST

Dwelling of the Holy Spirit:

Our fathers the Apostles granted this Sacrament by Laying Hands after Baptism, we find it in the book of Acts when St. Peter and St. john laid hands on the people whom were baptized, so they received the Holy Spirit (Acts 9:2-6). It was not possible for the Apostles to wander all countries to lay hands on the baptized, so they established anointment by MYRON as an alternative for laying hands for the Holy Spirit.

Holy Myron

The Myron consists of pure olive oil mixed with precious perfumes and spices from which God ordered the great prophet Moses to make the holy ointment, the recipe is given in the book of Exodus chapter 30

The first who made the Myron were the Apostles as they kept certain oils which were made by women to anoint the body of Our Lord Jesus Christ, but He had risen. When St. Mark came to Egypt he brought some with him.

The first Coptic Pope to make the Myron was Pope Athanasius, Pope # 20

Our late Pope Cyril 6 th Pope # 116 ( ) made the Holy Myron Once

Our beloved Pope Shenouda the 3rd (Pope # 117) has made it several times to meet the need of the Coptic churches worldwide.

Trough the years the Coptic Popes make Myron as the Church grows across the world and there is need for more Myron, it is been made ~ 30 times until now.

The Anointment by Myron: After the baptism, the mother of the child dries him/her, and then the priest starts to anoint the child by the Myron in SIX groups with total of 36 places of the child’s body as follow:

Group No. 1: EIGHT ANOINTMENTS Top Head (1) Nostrils (2) Mouth (1) Right Ear (1) Right Eye (1) Left Eye (1) Left Ear (1) The Priest says: “In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The Anointment of grace of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

Group No. 2: FOUR ANOINTMENTS The Heart (1) The Navel (1) The Back (1) The Lower Back (1) The Priest says: “An Anointment as a token for the kingdom of heaven, Amen.”

Group No. 3: SIX ANOINTMENTS The Right Shoulder joint (1) The Right Underarm (1) The Right Elbow (1) The Right Inner Elbow (1) The Right Palm (1) The Right back of the Wrist (1) The Priest says: “An Anointment for the community of eternal life, Amen.”

Group No. 4: SIX ANOINTMENTS The Left Shoulder joint (1) The Left Underarm (1) The Left Elbow (1) The Left Inner Elbow (1) The Left Palm (1) The top of the Left Palm (1) The Priest says: “A Holy Anointment of Our God Christ and imperishable seal Amen.”

Group No. 5: SIX ANOINTMENTS The Right Hip joint (1) The Inside of the Right Hip (1) The Right Knee (1) The Inside (back) of the Right Knee (1) The Right Ankle Joint (1) Above the Right Ankle (1) The Priest says: “Perfection of the grace of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

Group No. 6: SIX ANOINTMENTS The Left Hip joint (1) The Inside of the Left Hip (1) The Left Knee (1) The Inside (back) of the Left Knee (1) The Left Ankle Joint (1) Above the Left Ankle (1) The Priest says: “I anoint you (Name) by a Holy Anointment In the Name of the father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.”

Notes The 36 Anointments include all joints and senses of the Human Body to bless them, sealed them and protect them The child is anointed by Myron only once in his/her life.