Sacraments
Anointing of the Sick
The Church anoints the seriously ill and dying with holy oil, uniting their suffering to Christ's and imparting grace of strength, peace, and sometimes healing.
Catholic teaching
This sacrament is not reserved only for the dying but for any of the faithful facing serious illness or the frailty of old age, conferring the Holy Spirit's grace of comfort, peace, courage, and, if it is God's will, physical healing, along with forgiveness of sins if the person could not otherwise confess.
Biblical foundation
James gives explicit sacramental instructions: the elders of the church are to pray over the sick and anoint them with oil, and 'the prayer of faith will save the sick man.' Mark records the Twelve anointing the sick with oil during Jesus's own ministry.
Scripture references
Historical evidence
A prayer for the blessing of oil for anointing the sick appears in the third-century Apostolic Tradition attributed to Hippolytus of Rome, showing the ritual use of holy oil for healing was established Church practice from a very early date.
The Church Fathers
“Sanctifying this oil, O God, so as to give health to those who use it and receive of it.”