Atrium RAC No. 31 with the Most Excellent and Supreme Grand King

The History of
Anointing Oil and
its use in the R.A.C.
by V. Ex. Comp. W. T. Brown, RAC No. 313
and D. of C. Dist. G.R.A.C. of Antrim
INTRODUCTION
In keeping with the Rules and
Regulations of the Supreme
Grand Royal Arch Chapter of
Ireland, oil is not used in the
installation ceremony but it is
used in other Constitutions in
their installation ceremonies. Oil
is referred to in the context of
1st Samuel 16 verse 13 where it
reads:-
“Then Samuel took the horn
of oil, and anointed him in the
midst of his brethren: and the
Spirit of the LORD came upon
David from that day forward. So
Samuel rose up, and went to
Ramah.”
It is pointed out that when
anything was being dedicated to
a religious purpose it was
anointed with oil.The Ark of the
Covenant and all its Holy vessels
were anointed with oil. Aaron
and his sons were dedicated to
the Holy Priesthood by a similar
ceremony. This has been passed
down through the ages.
Monarchs are anointed in a
similar ceremony. This short
article looks at the use of oil
today for the purposes of
dedication, coronation etc. We
do know that oil is used in the
dedication of a new Craft Lodge
as a token of Peace, Love and
Harmony.
RECENTLY IT WAS USED IN
OUR M. EX. DIST. G. R.A. C.
OF ANTRIM.
It is unusual today for one to
be present at the Constitution of
a new Royal Arch Chapter, but,
such was the case on Saturday
25th October 2008 when Atrium
Royal Arch Chapter No. 31 was
Constituted, Consecrated and
Dedicated. Oil was used in the
very moving ceremony.
Our M. Ex. District Grand
King presented the oil saying, “I
present you this oil, one of the
elements of Consecration, to be
used by you in accordance with
ancient custom.”
The M. Ex. and Supreme
Grand King poured some of the
oil saying, “I pour this oil as a
symbol of Peace, Love and
Unanimity.”
THE USE OF OIL IN
CORONATIONS
The anointing has the deepest
significance during the ceremony
which goes back to at least
Anglo-Saxon times.The Anointing
Spoon goes back over 800 years
to the time of King John, the son
of Henry 11 and Elanor of
Aquitaine. The recipe for the
Anointing Oil contains oils of
orange, roses, cinnamon, musk
and ambergris. Usually a batch is
made to last a few Coronations.
In May 1941, a bomb hit the
Deanery destroying the phial
containing the anointing oil so a
new batch had to be made up.
The pharmacy that had mixed the
previous anointing oil had gone
out of business but the recipe
was found and the oil made.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE
CEREMONY OF ANOINTING
QUEEN ELIZABETH 11 (1953)
The Queen shall sit down in
King Edward's Chair (placed in
the midst of the Area over
against the Altar, with a fald-stool
before it), wherein she is to be
anointed. Four Knights of the
Garter shall hold a rich pall of
silk, or cloth of gold: the Dean of
Westminster, taking the Ampulla
and Spoon from off the Altar,
shall hold them ready, pouring
some Holy Oil into the Spoon,
and with it the Archbishop shall
anoint the Queen in the form of
a cross:
On the palms of both hands,
saying, ”Be thy Hands anointed
with Holy Oil.”
On the breast, saying, ”Be thy
Breast anointed with Holy Oil.”
On the crown of the head,
saying, ”Be thy Head anointed
with Holy Oil as kings, priests,
and prophets were anointed.”
“And as Solomon was anointed
king by Zadok the priest and
Nathan the prophet, so be thou
anointed, blessed, and
consecrated Queen over the
Peoples, whom the Lord thy God
hath given thee to rule and
govern, in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy
Ghost.Amen.“
Then shall the Dean of
Westminster lay the Ampulla and
Spoon upon the Altar; and the
Queen kneeling down at the faldstool,
the Archbishop shall say a
Blessing over her.
ANOINTING OIL, ITS
MEANING AND HISTORY
TERMINOLOGY: To be
“anointed” is, among other
things, to be made sacred
(consecrated); to be set apart
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