The Chrism oil, consecrated at a ceremony in The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, was consecrated by the Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, and the Anglican
Archbishop in Jerusalem, The Most Reverend Hosam Naoum.
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 Monastery of Mary Magdalene is the
burial place of His Majesty’s grandmother, Princess Alice of Greece. The olives were pressed just outside Bethlehem.
The oil has been perfumed with essential oils – sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin and amber – as well as orange blossom.
Olive oil comes from the Mount of Olives which demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Old Testament and the Holy Land. From the anointing of King Saul through to the
present day, Monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place. The formula has been used for hundreds of years and was also used at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. The Chrism oil
was used to anoint His Majesty The King while the choir sang Handel’s ‘Zadok the Priest’ during this most sacred moment of the coronation. It was also used for the anointing of Her Majesty The
Queen.