The season of Lent is a period of spiritual exploits and gaining of spiritual fruit. As we start the difficult seven-week period, all Christians are willing to exert themselves during this time. Through abstinence, prayers, participation in divine services, and sacraments we come closer to God, while oil unction is offered to the believers as the spiritual support on their spiritual journey.

The first unction service was held today in the Seraphim-Diveyevo monastery. Massive space of the Transfiguration Cathedral was filled with those who wanted to take part in the Sacrament, when we seek forgiveness of our transgressions and receive the grace of God that heals spiritual and bodily infirmities.

During the unction service, seven different passages are read from the Gospel and the Book of the Apostles, along with special prayers and a Christian is anointed seven times with consecrated oil mixed with red wine. The word “oil” means “mercy” in Greek. The anointing with oil symbolizes the anointing of a believer with the inexpressible mercy of God.

Along with the readings about the healing of the mother-in-law of the Apostle Peter and the daughter of the Canaanite woman, the Savior’s command for the Apostles to go out and heal the sick, we hear the Gospel account about the conversion of the tax collectors Zacchaeus and Matthew, and the parable of the ten virgins as a reminder that we need to be ready to meet Christ at any moment of our lives.