On Monday morning, His Beatitude Patriarch Daniel officiated the blessing of the ingredients and vessels in which the Holy and Great Chrism will be prepared and stored. “It expresses the Church’s reverence for Christ the sacrificial,” declared the Patriarch of Romania at the end of the service.
After its preparation, the chrism will be transported to the Patriarchal Residence, where, on Holy Thursday—April 17, 2025—the hierarchs of the Holy Synod will consecrate it at the outdoor altar of the Patriarchal Cathedral.
After the blessing service, Patriarch Daniel spoke about the significance and importance of the Holy Chrism and explained the decision to craft the new silver amphorae.
In total, 12 large amphorae (25 liters each) were made to transport the chrism to the Patriarchal Residence, along with 44 small silver amphorae (5 liters each) that will be distributed to the dioceses of the Romanian Patriarchate following the consecration.
“Silver is not only a beautiful and elegant metal, but also one that helps preserve the Holy Chrism well and expresses our reverence for this sacred substance.”
The Link Between Holy Chrism and Baptism
Speaking on the use of the Holy Chrism in the sacrament of Baptism, Patriarch Daniel explained that Baptism “means participation in the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection.”
The three immersions during Baptism, he continued, “recall the three days Christ spent in the tomb and His Resurrection from the dead. Thus, through Christ’s cross and resurrection, anyone who seeks salvation is baptized—that is, united with the Holy and Eternal God. The Holy and Great Chrism signifies our esteem for His sacrificial love.”
The Timing of the Consecration
Patriarch Daniel explained that the Chrism is consecrated on Holy Thursday, prior to Christ’s death and resurrection, to recall the gesture of Mary, the sister of Lazarus, who “did in advance what the myrrh-bearing women were to do on the morning of the Resurrection.”
“That is why the Church, in its wisdom, established the consecration of the Great Chrism on Holy and Great Thursday—the same day the Holy Eucharist was instituted. Why? Because chrism expresses the Church’s reverence for Christ the sacrificial. It is an offering of honor for His self-giving love, just as the Eucharist is an expression of that same love, given for the life of the world,” His Beatitude explained.
The Role of the Holy Chrism
“The consecration of the Great Chrism serves the sanctification of the human person. Through chrismation, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are granted as seeds. The Christian, in turn, throughout life, adds his will to fulfill God’s will, working together with divine grace. Thus, the gifts received at Baptism are cultivated in cooperation with the grace of the Holy Trinity and grow into what Saint Paul calls, in his Epistle to the Galatians, ‘the fruits of the Spirit.’”
Other Liturgical Uses of the Chrism
In closing, Patriarch Daniel reminded that the Holy Chrism is also used to consecrate the Holy Table, which symbolizes “the tomb of the Lord from which He rose.”
Thus, the Holy Table in the Altar, said the Patriarch, “is the symbol of the tomb where Christ was laid, but also the throne of His glory, for from that tomb He revealed the glory of His Resurrection, having risen from the dead and entered the Heavenly Jerusalem, the life without end.”
More photos from the event can be found in the photo gallery section.
Photo: Basilica.ro / Raluca Ene
