Anointing with the Holy Oil of St. Sharbel — a New Phenomenon in Catholic Practice

Abstract

In recent years, especially in eastern Slovakia, a new phenomenon has emerged in Catholic practice — anointing with the Holy Oil of St. Sharbel. Although the rite of such anointing is not found in any liturgical book, some Catholic priests of the Latin rite, especially in this part of the country, confer it to the Catholics of their rite. Catholics from various parts of Slovakia, western Poland, Ukraine, Moravia and others also take part in it. The author of the article mainly uses the comparative method, comparing this practice with the documents of the Magisterium and the bishop guidelines. He tries to find out if it is a sacramental in the Maronite church. If so, he states that the priests of the Latin rite cannot confer sacramental of the Maronite church without permission. The aim of the article is to find an answer to the question of whether it is a sacramental within the Catholic Church of the Latin rite or a rite that belongs to the field of human faith, such as immersion in the Lourdes water, during which several miraculous healings have taken place, but which is not accompanied by any assistance by a priest or deacon.