Anointing Of The Sick (Catholic Church)
Anointing of the Sick is a sacrament of the Catholic Church that is administered to a Catholic "who, having reached the age of reason, begins to be in danger due to sickness or old age", except in the case of those who "persevere obstinately in manifest grave sin". Proximate danger of death, the occasion for the administration of Viaticum, is not required, but only the onset of a medical condition considered to be a possible prelude to death.
The sacrament is also referred to as Unction, and in the past as Extreme Unction, and it is one of the three sacraments that constitute the Last Rites (together with the Sacrament of Penance and Viaticum).
The sacrament is administered by a priest, who uses olive oil or another pure plant oil to anoint the patient's forehead and perhaps other parts of the body while reciting certain prayers. It is believed to give comfort, peace, courage and, if the sick person is unable to make a confession, even forgiveness of sins. Several other Churches and Ecclesial Communities have similar rituals (see Anointing of the Sick for a more general discussion).
Read more about Anointing Of The Sick (Catholic Church): Administration, Eastern Catholic Churches
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