Is the newly baptized person anointed with the Holy Chrism?

St. Cyril of Jerusalem has a full lecture about the anointing¹³⁷² with the Holy Myron (Chrism). This occurs immediately after baptism, being a sacrament on its own. St. Theophilus of Antioch says that are called Christians because we are anointed by God.¹³⁷³ St. Cyprian of Carthage says, “It is necessary also for him who is baptized to be anointed that, having received chrism, that is anointing, he can be anointed of God and have in himself the grace of Christ.”¹³⁷⁴

The priest anoints all the body members, announcing the sanctification of this body and this soul, through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Then he prays, “O Lord who alone are mighty, who performs every wonder and nothing is impossible for You, rather by Your will, Your power works in all things. Grant the Holy Spirit in the pouring out of the holy Myron. Let it be a life-giving seal and a confirmation to Your servants, through Your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ Our Lord. Through whom the glory is due unto You …”

After the priest anoints the person thirty-six times from the top of the head to the smallest toe, the priest then lays his hands on him/her and says, “May you be blessed with the blessing of the heavenly and the blessing of the angels. May the Lord Jesus Christ bless you, and in His name …” — he then breathes in the face and says — “receive the Holy Spirit and be a

1370 St. Jerome, “Commentary on Ephesians” 4.2 in The Commentaries of Origen and Jerome on St. Paul’s Epistle to the Ephesians , trans., Ronald E. Heine (Oxford University Press, 2002): pp. 169–170.

1371 See St. Ambrose of Milan, The Sacraments 3.5 (FOTC 44) and On the Mysteries 31, 32 (NPNF II/10).

1372 St. Cyril of Jerusalem, Five Catechetical Lectures (On the Mysteries) 3 (NPNF II/7:149–150).

1373 St. Theophilus of Antioch, To Autolycus 1.12 (ANF 2:92).

1374 St. Cyprian of Carthage, The Epistles of Cyprian 70.2 (FOTC 51:260).

purified vessel through Jesus Christ our Lord to whom is the glory with His good Father and the Holy Spirit.”

Here we notice three features of the Coptic rite: the use of the Holy Myron; the laying of the hands for blessing; and the breath of the Spirit in the person’s face.