Sothis Temple of Sacred Oils and Sacred Sound

View Original

‘Chism Oil’

The Coronation Holy Anointing Oil

Following a formula used for hundreds of years, the Chrism oil is made on a base of olive oil which is the 'holy oil' since very ancient biblical times. Although the complete complex composition is closely guarded secret, we know of some ingredients such as sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, musk, civet and ambergris.

On returning from Egypt, Moses was instructed by God to make the holy anointing oil with "principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much... and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels. And of cassia five hindred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of olive oil an hin."  The ingredients were to be made inro "an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary; it shall be an holy anointing oil" (Exodus xxx, 23-5). It was strictly forbidden to use this oil for any but sacred purposes.

Bibliography and references
Aytour Ellis, 1960, The essence of beauty, London
https://www.google.com/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/holy-oil-to-anoint-king-charles-iii-at-his-coronation-is-consecrated-in-jerusalem-12824834
https://recipes.hypotheses.org/12351
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/14/secrets-oil-used-anoint-queen-coronation/

https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-03-03/the-consecration-of-the-coronation-oil
https://www.royal.uk/news-and-activity/2023-04-29/the-anointing-screen

Holy oil for king Charles III coronation consacrated in Jerusalem by the the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III

Closeup of the 1953 coronation oil. Image credit:The Coronation (BBC). 2018. Screenshot