What Is Anointing Of The Sick?

What Anointing of the Sick Means

Anointing of the Sick is a Christian practice of praying over someone who is seriously ill, frail, preparing for major surgery, or nearing the end of life, while anointing them with oil. In the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox Churches, and some Anglican and Lutheran communities, it is understood as a sacrament—a visible sign of God’s grace. Many Protestant churches also practice prayer with anointing, though they may not call it a sacrament.

The basic meaning is simple and beautiful: the Church gathers around a suffering person and asks Jesus, the healer, to be near. The oil is a sign of God’s strengthening presence, like a gentle reminder that the sick person is not alone.

This rite is not “magic,” and it does not guarantee physical healing. Christians pray with trust, while also receiving medical care. Sometimes God brings physical healing; sometimes he gives courage, peace, forgiveness, and hope in suffering. In every case, the focus is Christ’s compassion.

Where It Comes From in the Bible

The clearest Bible passage is James 5:14–15: “Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord.” James connects prayer, anointing, healing, and forgiveness.

The Gospels also show Jesus caring tenderly for the sick. He touches lepers, heals the blind, raises the dying, and comforts grieving families (Mark 1:40–42; Luke 8:49–56; John 11:33–44). Christians anoint the sick because Jesus’ ministry shows that bodies, souls, and families all matter to God.

Oil also had a practical and symbolic meaning in the ancient world. It could soothe wounds, strengthen the body, and mark someone as set apart for God’s care. In Mark 6:13, the disciples “anointed many sick people with oil and healed them,” showing that this practice was part of early Christian mission.

What Happens During the Rite

The exact words and steps vary by tradition, but a typical Anointing of the Sick includes:

• Scripture or a short prayer of trust in God
• Laying on of hands or a blessing
• Anointing with oil, often on the forehead and hands
• Prayers for healing, strength, forgiveness, and peace
• Sometimes confession, Communion, or a final blessing, depending on the tradition and situation

In Catholic practice, Anointing of the Sick is usually given by a priest and may be received more than once—for example, if an illness worsens, before serious surgery, or during the weakness of old age. It is not only for the last moments of life. Older Catholics may remember the term “Extreme Unction,” which led many people to think it was only for the dying. Today the Church emphasizes that it is for serious illness and spiritual strengthening.

In Orthodox practice, Holy Unction is also a sacrament of healing and may be celebrated for individuals or, in some places, communally during Holy Week. Protestant families may ask pastors or elders to pray and anoint with oil following James 5.

How Parents Can Explain It to Kids

Children can feel frightened when they hear about sickness or see a loved one in the hospital. A simple explanation helps:

“Anointing of the Sick is when the Church prays for someone who is very sick and uses blessed oil as a sign that Jesus is close to them. We ask God to heal, comfort, forgive, and strengthen them.”

You can also connect it to everyday family life. When a child falls and you clean a scrape, you care for both the body and the heart. Anointing is a deeper kind of care: the Christian family asks God to help the whole person—body, mind, and soul.

Practical tips for parents:

• Use calm words: “This is a prayer for strength,” not “This means someone is about to die.”
• Let kids ask honest questions, even hard ones like, “Will Grandma get better?”
• Say, “We don’t always know what will happen, but we know Jesus is with her.”
• If appropriate, invite children to be present, draw a card, or pray a short prayer.
• Reassure them that medicine, doctors, and prayer can all be gifts from God.

A family prayer could be: “Lord Jesus, be close to everyone who is sick. Give them healing, courage, and peace. Help us love them well. Amen.”

When Should Someone Ask for It?

A good rule of thumb is: ask early, not only at the end. If someone is facing serious illness, declining health, risky surgery, or the frailty of old age, it is appropriate to contact your parish, pastor, priest, or church elders. Hospitals often have chaplains who can help reach a minister.

If your family belongs to a specific denomination, follow your church’s practice. Catholic families should contact a priest; Orthodox families should contact their priest; Protestant families can ask a pastor or elders for prayer and anointing if their church offers it.

For parents, the heart of the teaching is hope. Anointing of the Sick tells a suffering person: God sees you, the Church loves you, and Jesus is near in your weakness. As Romans 8:38–39 reminds Christians, neither life nor death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.