The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, writes on Facebook . . .
“I’m so honoured and grateful that His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem have consecrated the Chrism oil that will be used to anoint The King at his Coronation in May.
I want to thank His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III for providing the Coronation Oil from the Mount of Olives – which reflects The King’s personal family connection with the Holy Land and his great care for its peoples.
I’m also delighted that the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, the Most Revd Hosam Naoum, shared in the consecration at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.
Since beginning the planning for the Coronation, my desire has been for a new Coronation Oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives. This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land.
It has been created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives, at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene and the Monastery of the Ascension – near the burial place of the King’s grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece.
The Chrism oil, which uses olives pressed just outside of Bethlehem, is perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom – the same recipe used at the late Queen’s Coronation.
From ancient kings and now to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place. As we prepare to anoint The King and The Queen Consort, I pray that they would be guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.”
