Sect. 271Nature and Institution of Extreme Unction—its Matter and FormNature and Institution of Extreme Unction—its Matter and Form

I. In speaking of the number of the sacraments (supra, p. 372), we said that Penance and Extreme Unction were the two medicinal or healing sacraments: Penance for the healing of the soul, and Extreme Unction for the healing of the body, and also for strengthening and cleansing the soul when about to leave the body. Bodily disease and death are, as we have seen (supra, p. 24), the penalty of sin. Extreme Unction does not altogether remove these, for we must all die; nevertheless, even when it does not restore health, it robs death of its sting and its victory by making death the means of cleansing and purifying the body, and thereby fitting it for eternal life. More will be said on this subject when we come to speak of the effects of the sacrament. The natural act raised to a supernatural sphere is, in this case, anointing. As we saw in speaking of Confirmation, rubbing the limbs with oil was practised for the purpose of strengthening them; and we may add, what more concerns us here, anointing is a potent means of healing (Isa. 1:6; Mark 6:13; Luke 10:38). Hence it was chosen as the rite for supernaturally conferring the health of the body and strength of the soul. “Is any man sick among you?” says St. James, “let him bring in the priests (πρεβυτέρους) of the Church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil (ἀλείφαντες ἐλαίῳ) in the Name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith (ἡ εὐχὴ τῆς πίστεως) shall save (σώσει) the sick man, and the Lord shall raise him up (ἐγερεῖ); and if he be in sins, they shall be forgiven him” (5:14, 15). The rite here described is undoubtedly identical with the sacrament of Extreme Unction as administered by the Church. It is clear that the Apostle is giving a precept which is to hold good for all time, because it comes in the midst of other general commands: “Is any of you sad? Let him pray. Is he cheerful in mind? Let him sing. Is any man sick? etc.… Confess your sins one to another. Pray for one another that you may be saved.” Again, all the ancient authorities on Extreme Unction refer to this passage; and they declare that the Church in administering this sacrament is acting in obedience to the Apostle’s injunction. That the rite is a sacramental one is clearly indicated: there is the external action (prayer and anointing), and the inward supernatural effect (“shall save him,” “shall raise him up,” “the sins shall be forgiven”). The institution by Christ we shall now proceed to show.

II. “Now this sacred unction,” says the Council of Trent (l.c., ch. i.), “was instituted by Christ our Lord as truly and properly a sacrament of the New Law, insinuated indeed in Mark (6:13), but recommended and promulgated to the faithful by James the Apostle, and brother of the Lord. ‘Is any man,’ etc. In which words, as the Church hath learned from Apostolic tradition, received from hand to hand, he teacheth the matter, the form, the proper minister, and the effect of this salutary sacrament.” And the Council condemns those who say “that Extreme Unction is not truly and properly a sacrament instituted by Christ our Lord, and promulgated by the blessed Apostle James; but is only a rite received from the Fathers, or a human figment” (can. 1). Hence the Council teaches on the one hand that the passage in St. James is a “promulgation” and “commendation;” and on the other that the passage in St. Mark (the Apostles “anointed with oil many that were sick, and healed them”) is an “insinuation.” According to the Catechism of the Council (De Extr. Unct., cap. xvi.), this latter term means that our Lord gave a sort of specimen or example (specimen quoddam) of this unction. Some of the greatest mediæval theologians, e.g. Hugh of St. Victor (De Sacr., lib. ii. p. xv. cap. 2) Peter Lombard (Sent., iv. dist. 23), and St. Bonaventure (in Sent., l.c., a. 1, q. 2), taught that Christ did not Himself institute the Sacrament, but left the Apostles to do so. St. Thomas Suppl., q. 29, a. 3; and 3, q. 64, a. 2) and his school maintained the immediate institution by our Lord, declaring it to be one of the many acts unrecorded in the Gospels (John 20:30; Acts 1:3). The Thomist view, though not expressly defined, appears to be more in harmony with the teaching of the Council, and has therefore been the prevailing opinion in modern times. See, however, Franzelin, De Sacr., thes. xiv. p. 183 seq.

In the writings of the early Fathers there are fewer references to Extreme Unction than to the other sacraments. This comparative silence doubtless arose from the fact that it did not belong to the public life of the Church; and also that it was looked upon as an appendage of Penance (Council of Trent, sess. xiv., De Extr. Unct.), and so did not require separate mention. Thus we find the two spoken of together by Origen (In Levit., Hom. 2, n. 4); St. John Chrysostom (De Sacerd., iii. n. 6); St. Cæsarius (Serm., cclxv. n. 3). The most striking patristic authority on the subject is Pope St. Innocent I. “The words of St. James,” he says, “ought without doubt to be taken or understood of the faithful who are sick, who can be anointed with the holy oil of chrism, which, being prepared by a bishop, may be used not only for priests, but for all Christians, for anointing in their own need, or in that of their connections (non solum sacerdotibus sed omnibus uti Christianis licet in sua ant suorum necessitate inungendum [al. inungendo]).… For this chrism cannot be poured upon penitents, inasmuch as it is a kind (genus) of sacrament. For to persons to whom the other sacraments are denied, how can it be thought that one kind [of sacrament] can be granted?” (Ep. ad Decentium, cap. 8). The Liturgical books, from St. Gregory’s Sacramentary onwards, contain numberless proofs of the use of Extreme Unction; and frequent mention of it is made in Provincial Councils, e.g. Châlon sur Saone (813), Aix la Chapelle (836), Mayence (847), Pavia (850), and also in the General Councils of Constance (1414) and Florence (1439). All the Eastern Churches, too—Greek, Armenian, Coptic, and Nestorian—are at one with the Roman Church, concerning the doctrine of Extreme Unction. See Perpét. de la Foi, l. v. c. 2; Martène, De Eccl. Rit., tom. ii. cap. 7; Denzinger, Ritus Orient., ii. 483 seq.

III. As there is no express record of the immediate institution of Extreme Unction by our Lord, so there is no express record how far He Himself determined its matter and form. Nevertheless, “the Church,” says the Council of Trent (sess. xiv. ch. 1), “hath understood the matter thereof to be oil blessed by a bishop: for the unction very aptly represents the grace of the Holy Ghost, with which the soul of the sick person is invisibly anointed; and, furthermore, that these words, ‘By this unction,’ etc., are the form.”

1. In treating of the sacraments generally, we said that the matter of a sacrament is the natural action which has been raised by our Lord to a supernatural sphere. Certain of the sacraments, however, make use of material tangible objects (e.g. water, oil, etc.), and these are sometimes styled “the matter” of the sacrament. Theologians call these material things “the remote matter,” and the application of them “the proximate matter.”

(a) Oil is the remote matter of the sacrament. St. James expressly says, “Anointing him with oil.” “The spiritual healing,” says St. Thomas, “which is granted to a man at his last end should be perfect, for none comes after it; and it should be soothing, so that hope, which is especially needed by the dying, may not be broken, but encouraged. Now, oil is soothing, and penetrating, and flowing; and, therefore, as regards both the foregoing requirements, it is the fitting matter of this sacrament” (Suppl., q. 29, a. 4). There is some difficulty, however, regarding the necessity of the bishop’s blessing, as in the Eastern Church it is the priest who blesses the oil during the administration of the sacrament. Though the Council of Trent says that oil “blessed by a bishop” is the matter, yet the Council does not expressly say that this blessing is essential. Of course, in practice no oil may be used for the sacrament in the Western Church unless it has been blessed by a bishop. See two decrees on the subject in Denzinger’s Enchiridion, nn. 1494, 1495.

(b) There has been considerable diversity of practice in different times and places regarding the parts anointed. As a rule the oil was applied to the organs of sense: the nose, ears, mouth, and eyes. Sometimes only one portion was anointed. Thus St. Eugendus, as we learn from his Acts, was anointed only on the shoulders. Moreover, inasmuch as one of the purposes of the sacrament is the restoration of bodily health, it was often administered by anointing the diseased part (see Martène, De Eccl. Rit., tom. ii. c. vii. art. 4). According to the present usage of the Roman Church, the anointing of the four above-mentioned organs of sense, together with the hands, feet, and loins, is prescribed. The anointing of the loins is now, however, commonly omitted. Although the Decretum pro Armenis (Council of Florence) orders these, it does not declare them to be essential; and the Council of Trent speaks of unctio in the singular. One single anointing complies with St. James’s instruction, and is therefore sufficient; but in practice the ritual must be followed (see St. Alphonsus, lib. vi. n. 710).

2. While the minister of Extreme Unction anoints, he pronounces certain words which are the form of the sacrament. These words, in some rituals, are absolute; in others they are a prayer; in others, again, they are both absolute and also a prayer. As far as the essence of the sacrament is concerned any one of these is sufficient, though a prayer is more in accordance with St. James’s words, “Let them pray over him,” “The prayer of faith shall save,” etc. And the Council of Trent says that the words, “By this holy unction,” etc., which are a prayer, are the form. Here, again, the Council must not be understood in an exclusive sense, as though these words were the only valid form. In practice they must be used in the Western Church (see St. Alphonsus, l.c., n. 711). The various Eastern rites may be found in Renaudot, Perpétuité de la Foi, l. v. cc. 1, 2, 3; see also Chardon, l.c., ch. i.