Holy oil for King Charles coronation blessed in Jerusalem

In what is considered the most sacred part of the ceremony, the oil will be used to anoint His Majesty and his wife Camilla when they are crowned at Westminster Abbey on May 6.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who will conduct the service, said: “I’m honoured and grateful that the Chrism oil that will be used to anoint His Majesty The King was consecrated in Jerusalem today by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III and the Anglican Archbishop.

“I want to thank His Beatitude 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.

“The consecration of oil from the Mount of Olives at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre demonstrates the deep historic links between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land.”

At The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the Chrism oil which will be used to anoint The King at the Coronation in May has been consecrated by The Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem.

[1/3] pic.twitter.com/oKn88FpEdh

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) March 3, 2023

As is tradition during the ceremony, the holy oil will be poured from an amplulla onto the Coronation Spoon, which will then be used to anoint the hands, breast, and head.

At JW3, the Jewish Arts, Culture and Community Centre in London, the UK’s Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis last week paid tribute to Archbishop Justin Welby, calling him one of UK Jewry’s “greatest friends”.

"In the Archbishop of Canterbury we have one of our greatest friends."

The Chief Rabbi paid tribute to @JustinWelby's friendship to the Jewish community and to Judaism at the Yoni Jesner Conversations event at @JW3London. pic.twitter.com/M0aBQvJMAh

— Chief Rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis (@chiefrabbi) March 2, 2023

HM King Charles himself visited JW3 in December, where he learned more about the centre’s efforts and met with Holocaust survivors.