All Saint's Greek Orthodox Church of Toronto

The Sacrament of Chrismation

The Sacrament of Chrismation (also called Confirmation) immediately follows the Sacrament of Baptism and is never delayed in the Orthodox faith until a later age. As the ministry of Christ was enlivened by the Holy Spirit, Chrismation, which is often referred to as one’s personal Pentecost, is the Sacrament which imparts the Holy Spirit upon the Celebrant.

In the sacrament of Chrismation, the priest anoints the various parts of the body of the newly-baptized with Holy Chrism (Oil) saying: “The seal of the gifts of the Holy Spirit”. The Holy Chrism, which has been blessed during a special service in Constantinople, is a sign of consecration and strength.

The Sacrament emphasizes the truths that not only is each person a valuable member of the Church, but also each one is blessed by the Holy Spirit with certain gifts and talents. The anointing also reminds us that our bodies are valuable to us here on earth and also play a role in the process of salvation.

The Sacraments of Baptism and Chrismation always are concluded with the distribution of Holy Communion to the newly-baptized. This practice reveals that Orthodoxy views children from their infancy as important members of the Church. There is never a time when the young are not part of God’s people.

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