THE chrism oil which will be used to anoint King Charles III during his Coronation on 6 May has been consecrated at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

It was consecrated by the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem, Dr Hosam Naoum, and the Orthodox Patriarch Theophilos III, during a special ceremony.

The oil was created using olives harvested from two groves on the Mount of Olives: at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene, and the Monastery of the Ascension. The former is the burial place of the King’s grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece. The oil has been perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber and orange blossom.

The formula for its making has been used for centuries, and was the same used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The oil will also be used for the anointing of the Queen Consort.

Lambeth PalaceThe oil ready to be sent to the UK

The Archbishop of Canterbury said on Friday that he was “honoured and grateful” for its consecration. “I want to thank especially His Beatitude for providing this coronation oil, which reflects the King’s personal family connection with the Holy Land and his great care for its peoples. I am also delighted that the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem shared in the consecration of the oil.

“Since beginning the planning for the coronation, my desire has been for a new coronation oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives. This demonstrates the deep historic link between the coronation, the Bible, and the Holy Land. From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place. As we prepare to anoint the King and the Queen Consort, I pray that they would be guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.”