You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you shall be witnesses for Me…. even to the very ends of the earth.
– Acts 1:8
About a Sacrament
The Sacrament of Chrismation (Confirmation) immediately follows Baptism and is never delayed until a later age. As the ministry of Christ was enlivened by the Spirit and the preaching of the Apostles strengthened by the Spirit, so is the life of each Orthodox Christian sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Chrismation, which is often referred to as one’s personal Pentecost, is the Sacrament which imparts the Spirit in a special way.
428 Holy Chrism, a fragrant mixture of oils and other aromatic components, symbolizes the richness and diversity of the spiritual gifts which the Holy Spirit grants to the newborn in Christ.
Beware of supposing that this oil [i.e., Chrism] is mere ointment.
Just as after the invocation of the Holy Spirit the Eucharistic bread is no longer ordinary bread but the Body of Christ, so this holy oil, in conjunction with the invocation, is no longer simple or common oil but becomes the gracious gift of Christ and the Holy Spirit, producing the advent of his divinity.
Holy Chrism is consecrated on Holy Thursday by the head of a self-governing Church for use by priests, which evidences the unity of the Church.
The Rite of Confirmation
429 During the Rite of Chrismation, the priest anoints the newly baptized on the forehead, eyes, nostrils, lips, ears, breast, hands, and feet. He proclaims: “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Thus, “in every word and deed” the newly baptized is to please God and become “a son (daughter) and heir” of his kingdom. The Holy Spirit transfigures the thoughts, feelings, and deeds of those who are members of the kingdom.
430 The words “The seal of the gift of the Holy Spirit” witness to the fact that the Christian belongs to God. Christians are his possession because we “were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit; this is the pledge of our inheritance toward redemption as God’s own people, to the praise of his glory” (Eph 1:13-14). It is through the power and the action of the Holy Spirit that the Christian lives in Christ: “The anointing that you received from him abides in you, and so you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, abide in him” (1 Jn 2:27).
How to Get Confirmed
For more information about scheduling and making arrangements for an older child to prepare to receive this Holy Mystery please contact us.
If you are an adult and haven’t been confirmed, please don’t delay. Mystery of Confirmation brings great graces that will help you in your struggle to attain holiness.