The Sacrament of the Unction of the sick

1. Entity type Lemma
2. Original titleΤό Μυστήριο τοῦ Εὐχελαίου
3. Language term Greek, Modern (1453-)
4. lemma author Koutalis, Vangelis
5. lemma category Natural and the supernatural - Orthodox theological tradition and practice > Cult and spirituality - Complementarity - Scientific theories and disciplines > Medicine
6. Publication date 26-02-2017
7. lemma work Kamperis, (Hieromonk) Theonas [Author]. The Sacrament of the Unction of the sick
8. lemma manifestations Η οδός
9. Keywords Unction of the sick - medicine - therapy - sacramental life of the Church
10. Url Η οδός, φύλλο 16
11. Citations
    1. <p>Kamperis, (Hieromonk) T. [Καμπέρης, (Ἱερομόναχος) Θ.] (2009). Τό Μυστήριο τοῦ Εὐχελαίου. <em>Ἡ ὁδός</em>, <em>16</em>, 6-7.</p>
12. Lemma body

    1. One of the seven Sacraments in the Orthodox Church, the Unction of the sick, is the topic of this short article. The author briefly describes the liturgical ceremony and the service for this sacrament and he highlights the fact that the service of the Unction of the sick is performed with the aim of remedying both the body and the soul.

       According to the teaching of the Church, bodily maladies should be regarded as bitter fruits of sin. Even in cases of severe disease, the cure can be found in the restoration of the peaceful communion with God, either by invoking God’s help or by the combination of the natural means employed by the science of medicine with the supernatural means of the grace of God through the sacraments. The Sacrament of the Unction of the sick is not essential only for instances of illness. Additionally to its sacramental or liturgical significance, it has also pedagogical value, since it illustrates how spirituality can itself become a way of treating illness.