Taught on Feb 15:
This week at the St Thomas school, we will cover two chapters.
Vol V, Ch 11: The Consecration of a Church
In this chapter, Metropolitan Hilarion describes the rites associate with the blessing of a church.
There are several occasions during initial construction when a church shall be blessed:
The founding;
When placing the cross on the cupola;
The blessing of the bell tower; and
The dedication.
During the dedication of the church, various liturgical items and the icon are commonly blessed; however, there may be a separate service for these items. Similarly, the antimins (antimension), which contains a holy relic and is signed by the Bishop, is generally consecrated during the dedication.
In addition to the blessing of a new church, there exists a lesser blessing for the renovation of a previously blessed church..if the alter was not moved during the renovation.
Vol V, Ch 12: Preparation and Consecration of Chrism
Chrism (Greek χρίσμα, meaning "ointment") is consecrated oil used during the administration of certain mysteries and rites of the Orthodox Church. It is comprised of olive oil mixed with aromatic essences—plant oils, set smelling herbs, and fragrant resins. In the Russian church, it also includes white grape wine and may also include frankincense, rose petals, violet, spice, torment root, and nutmeg. Metropolitan Hilarion notes that the specific recipe has never been firmly established in the Orthodox Church. Over the past few hundred years, the list of elements used in chrism has ranged from the forties and into the fifties.
The consecration of chrism is “inseparably linked to the sacrament of chrismation.” The order of consecration consists of censing, singing of Psalms, reading Scripture, and prayers. The rite is performed by a Patriarch, though not all Patriarch’s have the authority to consecrate chrism.
Chrism is consecrated once a year or less frequently, depending on the needs of the Church. The elements are brought into the church on the third week of Great Lent. On that Wednesday, the elements are combined and “cooked” over the following two weeks. On Wednesday of the sixth week, the oil is poured off into vessels. The rite of consecration takes place over the course of several days during Holy Week with the actual consecration occurring during the Divine Liturgy on Holy Thursday.
The significant of this rite is easily lost in our modern culture. From Metropolitan Hilarion:
This ritual is of great symbolic significance, attesting that, like the apostolic succession of the hierarchy, there is a direct line of succession linking the holy chrism consecrated in our own time with the chrism consecrated in the ancient church. Thus, along with the gift of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of the primate of the Church in the sacrament of chrismation a Christian also receives the apostolic blessing of many generations of Orthodox hierarchs—a blessing that may be traced back to the time of the apostles.