Myrrh and the Divine Unction

“Bring near to you Aaron, your brother, and his sons with him, from among the Israelites, that he may be a priest for me” (Exod 28:1)

Not only is the initiation as a whole intended to hallow Aaron and his sons before the Lord, but every step of the initiation sanctified them a little more, thereby elevating them above the rest of the congregation of Israel.

Aaron and his sons were first washed to ensure ritual purity. After their purification they were clothed with the vestments that would forever mark their office; Aaron received the elaborate high priestly robes, whereas his sons received the plain white linen of the priests. Next Aaron, but not his sons, was anointed

“to make him holy” (Lev 8:12). Then a series of sacrifices were performed on behalf of all the initiates, including a sin offering for the purpose of expiation. Another of the sacrifices was a ram of consecration. During the ritual of this sacrifice, some of its blood was mingled with anointing oil and sprinkled upon Aaron and his sons, effectively anointing them, with the result that “he shall

be made holy, and his vestments, and his sons, and his sons’ vestments with him” (Exod 29:21). Finally, Exodus 29:33 states that, “They shall eat the food which made the atonement, to ordain them and to make them holy.”Thus the ordination ceremony ordained and sanctified  Aaron and his sons into the priesthood. 

The Lord’s Scent
Some individuals, for the right price, would obtain perfumes and oils and subsequently rub, or anoint, them into their skin, thus masking their scent and granting a new one (see 2 Sam 12:20; 14:2; Amos 6:6; Mic 6:15; Ruth 3:3). While many rich Israelites enjoyed this luxury, so did the priests. However,
the priests were the only Israelites permitted to use the “holy anointing oil”
on penalty of exile by the Lord (see Exod 30:32–33). is oil bears the Lord’s scent. In order to be so designated, there was a strict, divinely mandated recipe to be followed. “Take unto yourself choice spices: 500 shekels of liquid myrrh, half as much [250 shekels] aromatic cinnamon, 250 shekels sweet cane, and 500 shekels cassia—all according to the sanctuary shekel—and a hin of oil olive” (Exod 30:23–24). at is, 1500 shekel weight of solid aromatic to 1 hin of liquid. Milgrom suggests “the proportions work out to about 1 pint olive oil to 54 pounds of dry spices,”19 while Durham claims the solid aromatics total 331⁄2 lbs.20 Which of the two is correct is not as important, or relevant, as the realization that the amount of solid matter to liquid is astounding. Durham notes how the process of production suggested by Lucas below provides a plausible explanation for how the high ratio of solid to liquid can produce a nonviscous ointment.21 Lucas “describes the Egyptian process of pressing gum resins with oil, then removing the oil by squeezing the resultant paste in a cloth to extract the oil. e oil thus became the base, one that absorbed and then retained the fragrance of . . . aromatic substances.”22 e oil would then be kept while the solid mass is disposed of. ough Lucas is describing an Egyptian method, it is likely that the early Israelites would have used a similar process. is procedure would ensure the oil would be especially fragrant. 

Anointing is the ritual act of pouring aromatic oil over a person's head or entire body... Their use to introduce a divine influence or presence..."anointing" is typically used for ceremonial blessings such as the coronation of European monarchs. This continues an earlier Hebrew practice most famously observed in the anointings of Aaron as high priest and both Saul and David by the prophet Samuel. The concept is important to the figures of the Messiah and the Christ (Hebrew and Greek for "The Anointed One").
The oil used in a ceremonial anointment may be called "chrism" (from Greek χρῖσμα, khrîsma, "anointing"), although Christianity usually distinguishes a particularly sanctified chrism from other oils which might also be used. Several related words such as "chrismation" (anointing with oil) and "chrismarium" (a vessel containing chrism or another holy oil) derive from the same root.

Chrism, also called myrrh, myron, holy anointing oil, and consecrated oil, is a consecrated oil used in the Anglican, Armenian, Assyrian, Catholic and Old Catholic, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox, Mormon churches and Nordic Lutheran Churches in the administration of certain sacraments and ecclesiastical functions.

Glass vessel containing chrism. The glass is etched with the letters SC for sanctum chrisma.

The English chrism derives from Koine Greek via Latin and Old French. In Greek, khrîsma (χρῖσμα) was originally the verbal noun ("(the act of) anointing," "unction") of χρίειν ("anoint"). By extension, along with khrîma (χρῖμα), khrîstai (χρῖσται), and later khrísma (χρίσμα), it came to be used for the anointing oil or ointment itself. Khrísma came into Latin as chrisma, which appears in the works of Tertullian. This was adopted directly into Old English as crisma, which developed into Middle English crisme and various related spellings. In Old French, the original Latin was conflated with cramum ("cream"), developing into cresme, which was also borrowed into Middle English around 1300 as creme and various related spellings. The spelling chrism after the Latin original was generally adopted in the 16th century, after which "cream" came to be restricted to its present meaning.An important and specific use of chrism is in the Anointing during the Coronation of the British monarch. In this part of the Service, the Archbishop of Canterbury anoints the Sovereign on the head, hands and heart. This is considered to be the holiest rite of the Service, so much so that it is shielded from the congregation's view by a canopy of state. This is also why it was not filmed during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, nor was it photographed in 1937 during the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth. It occurs just prior to the presentation of the Crown Jewels to the Sovereign, which is in turn followed by the actual Coronation.

When a monarch is anointed, the Dean of Westminster pours holy anointing oil from an ampulla into a spoon.The Ampulla, 20.5 cm (8.1 in) tall and weighing 660 g (1.5 lb), is a hollow gold vessel made in 1661 and shaped like an eagle with outspread wings. Its head unscrews, enabling the vessel to be filled, and the oil exits via a hole in the beak. The original ampulla was a phial made of stone, sometimes worn as a pendant by kings, and otherwise kept inside a gold eagle. Fourteenth-century legend has it that the Virgin Mary appeared in front of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 until 1170, and presented to him a gold eagle and phial of oil for anointing English kings. This ampulla was first recorded as being used at the coronation of Henry IV in 1399 and was deposited for safekeeping with St Edward's regalia at the Abbey by Richard III in 1483. The same batch of oil was used to anoint all kings and queens (except Mary I) until it ran out in 1625. No one is quite sure why the vessel itself came to be reinterpreted as an eagle standing on a domed base after the Restoration. In terms of religious importance, the anointing objects are second only to St Edward's Crown, and in 2013 the ampulla was placed beside the crown on the altar of Westminster Abbey at a service marking the 60th anniversary of Elizabeth II's coronation.

The Ampulla 1661


The silver-gilt Coronation Spoon
The 27-centimetre-long (10.6 in) Coronation Spoon, which dates from the late 12th century, is silver-gilt and set with four pearls added in the 17th century. A ridge divides the bowl in half, creating grooves into which the Archbishop of Canterbury dips two fingers and anoints the monarch, confirming him or her as Supreme Governor of the Church of England. 
The spoon is first recorded in 1349 as preserved among St Edward's Regalia in Westminster Abbey. Already at this date it is described as a spoon of 'antique forme'. Stylistically it seems to relate to the twelfth century and is therefore a remarkable survival - the only piece of royal goldsmiths' work to survive from that century. It was possibly supplied to Henry II or Richard I.

It is unclear from the 1349 inventory whether the spoon at this date was part of the chapel plate or simply a secular object. However, it was clearly never intended for eating or stirring. Its divided bowl and length suggest that it always had a ceremonial purpose, and its presence among the regalia means that it has always been associated with coronations. It may originally have been used for mixing wine and water in a chalice, but it was certainly used for anointing the sovereign during the coronation of James I in 1603, and at every subsequent coronation. One suggestion is that the divided bowl was designed in this fashion so that the archbishop might dip two fingertips into the holy oil.

The spoon remained among the regalia until 1649, when it was sold off (rather than melted down like the other items). It was purchased by a Mr Kynnersley, Yeoman of Charles I's Wardrobe, for 16 shillings. Kynnersley returned the spoon to Charles II, for use at the coronation in 1661, when the small pearls were added to its decoration. It has remained in use ever since.

The anointing is the most sacred part of the coronation ceremony, and takes place before the investiture and crowning. The Archbishop pours holy oil from the Ampulla (or vessel) into the spoon, and anoints the sovereign on the hands, breast and head. The tradition goes back to the Old Testament where the anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest and Nathan the Prophet is described. Anointing was one of the medieval holy sacraments and it emphasised the spiritual status of the sovereign.