TheChrism Mass is a religious service held in certain Christian denominations, such asRoman Catholicism,Lutheranism, andAnglicanism.[1][2] It is usually celebrated each year onMaundy Thursday or on another day ofHoly Week. During the ceremony, the holy oils used for sacraments and rituals are blessed or consecrated.
The Chrism Mass is one of the most solemn and importantliturgies of theChristian liturgical calendar. The ancient ChristianApostolic Tradition (c. 200 AD) described a "ceremony taking place during theEaster Vigil at which two holy oils were blessed and one was consecrated."[3] During thisrite, two oils were "blessed by the bishop: the oil of the sick and the oil of exorcism".[3]
Maundy Thursday is the usual day in which thisMass is celebrated in adiocese orarchdiocese. During this Mass, the following Holy Oils are consecrated or blessed:
The Chrism and Oil of theCatechumens are used during theEaster Vigil onHoly Saturday for thebaptism andconfirmation of adults, or children over the age of 10 who wish to fully enter the Church.
Holy Chrism is a mixture of olive oil andbalsam, an aromaticresin. The balsam is poured into the oil, which gives it a sweet smell intended to remind those who encounter it of the "odour of sanctity" to which those who are marked with it are called to strive. The bishop then breathes over the vessel containing the Chrism, a gesture symbolizing theHoly Spirit coming down to consecrate this oil, and recalls the actions ofJesus in theGospel account ofJohn 20:22, when he breathed on theapostles and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit..." Most or all of the diocese’s priests, gathered toconcelebrate the Mass, extend their hands towards the vessel of Chrism and silently say the chosen "Prayer of Consecration" along with the bishop, who recites it audibly over the Chrism.[5][3]
In the Latin Rite, the Chrism Mass was anciently and is currently celebrated onMaundy Thursday. In the 1800s, theBenedictineabbot DomProsper Guéranger wrote in his commentaryThe Liturgical Year: “For now many centuries, this great ceremony is celebrated at the single Mass, which is said on this day in commemoration of ourLord's Supper."[6] In the1955 reforms of Pope Pius XII, a separate Mass for the blessing of the Holy Oils was promulgated.[7]
The blessing of the Oils is traditionally celebrated in the diocesan/archdiocesancathedral, generally on the morning of Maundy Thursday. However, for practical reasons, many dioceses celebrate this Mass on another day duringHoly Week.[8] It is often the largest annual gathering of a diocese’s clergy and faithful.[5] In some dioceses, attendance is sufficiently significant that, due to limited seating, tickets are distributed to parishes.[9] The Mass is a celebration of the institution of thepriesthood with Jesus' words at the Last Supper, "Do this in memory of Me."[10] During the Mass, all present are called to renew their baptismal promises; priests and deacons (the ordained) are further called to reaffirm their ministry by renewing the vows made at their ordination.[1][5][11]
During the Chrism Mass, the Rite of Reception of the Oils has representatives from every diocesan parish receive the three oils for storage in their respectiveparishes.[12] This signifies each parish's unity with their bishop.[13] Whenever the holy oils are used, the ministry of the bishop who blessed and consecrated them is symbolically present.[14] The stock holy oils distributed are meant to last all year, although extra holy oils are also blessed during the Chrism Mass and kept at the cathedral as reserve if a parish runs out.[15]
The present Mass is a 1967 restoration of a liturgy recorded in the early 200s by the historianHippolytus, wherein theEaster Vigil had of blessing two holy oils and consecrating one. In the fifth century, the ceremony of the holy oils was transferred from theEaster Vigil to Maundy Thursday. A separate Mass for that purpose was instituted, and made distinct from theMass of the Lord's Supper. The change took place not only due to the large crowds that assembled for the Easter Vigil onHoly Saturday night, but to fully emphasizeChrist's institution of the ordained priesthood during what is traditionally calledThe Last Supper.[3] In the decree renewing this rite,Pope Paul VI said “The Chrism Mass is one of the principal expressions of the fullness of the bishop’s priesthood and signifies the closeness of the priests with him."[3]
While the Oil of the Catechumens and the Oil of the Sick, are simply "blessed," the Sacred Chrism is "consecrated".
OnMaundy Thursday,Lutherans also celebrate a Chrism Mass, which is presided over by a bishop.[1] In the service, the holy oils are blessed and clergy renew their vows.[1]
The1979Book of Common Prayer (p. 307) used by theEpiscopal Church of the United States of America calls for chrism to be consecrated by the bishop. This may be done when the bishop is present in the parish forConfirmation. In many dioceses, the consecration of chrism by the bishop may be done at a service of reaffirmation of ordination vows during Holy Week. Similar to the ritual in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church, the service has the bishop also bless the oils for use throughout the next year in baptisms and healing. In addition, the bishop and clergy in attendance will reaffirm their Ordination Vows.[2]
This service, also called a Chrism Mass, is held during Holy Week and presided over by a synodical bishop. At this unique liturgy, the blessing of oil is coupled with a renewal of vows for rostered leaders. The traditional day for this service is Maundy Thursday (when some traditions believe the first ordinations took place). In some places (especially in geographically large synods), bishops make provision for several chrism masses throughout the synod to enable all rostered leaders to participate.
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