Heavenly Father,
who through thy Son didst heal the sick
and commanded thy Church to pray for the afflicted
and to anoint them with oil in thy Name:
Look with mercy on thy servant,
and send the gift of thy Holy Spirit upon him.
May this oil, blessed in thy Name,
be to him a sign of thy presence,
the forgiveness of his sins,
and the healing of his body and soul.
If it be thy will, restore him to health and strength.
Grant him patience under his suffering,
and the consolation of thy presence in his weakness.
Whatever may come, be with him,
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
now and forever.
Amen.
ECUMENICAL 1ST CENTURY AD (BIBLICAL PATTERN); HISTORICAL LITURGICAL USE
A Prayer for Anointing of the Sick
Also known as Anointing Prayer ยท James 5 Anointing Prayer
About this prayer
The full text of A Prayer for Anointing of the Sick above is presented with its historical context, traditional meaning, and primary public-domain source.
The anointing of the sick is one of the oldest healing practices in the Christian Church. Its biblical foundation is in the Epistle of James 5:14-15: 'Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.' This brief instruction has shaped Christian ministry to the sick for nearly two thousand years.
In the Roman Catholic Church, the anointing of the sick is one of the seven sacraments. The Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Holy Mystery of Unction (the Mystery of Holy Oil), typically celebrated communally during Holy Week and individually at the bedside of the sick. In the Anglican Communion, the rite of anointing is included in the Book of Common Prayer's pastoral offices and has been increasingly recovered in many parishes since the 20th century liturgical movement. Methodist, Lutheran, and many evangelical traditions have also recovered or never lost the practice of anointing with oil for healing prayer.
The prayer presented here is drawn from the biblical pattern of James 5 and from the historical liturgical anointing prayers preserved in Christian tradition. It is suitable for use when oil is being applied to a sick person in prayer for healing, or as a prayer at the bedside in the broader pastoral ministry to the sick.
When it's said
Used in the rite of anointing of the sick across Christian traditions: the Roman Catholic Sacrament of the Sick, the Orthodox Mystery of Unction, Anglican anointing services, and the increasingly common practice in Methodist, Lutheran, and evangelical traditions of anointing the sick with oil during prayer for healing. May also be used as a bedside prayer when oil is not present, as a general prayer for someone gravely ill grounded in the biblical pattern of James 5.
Notes on the text
The phrase 'this oil, blessed in thy Name' presupposes the historical Christian practice of using blessed oil in the rite. In the Catholic Sacrament of the Sick the oil is specifically the Oil of the Sick blessed by the bishop at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday. In Orthodox practice the oil is blessed within the rite itself. In Anglican and Methodist usage the oil may be blessed by the minister at the time of anointing. The prayer's framing ('if it be thy will, restore him to health and strength; whatever may come, be with him') reflects the consistent Christian pattern of praying for healing while submitting to the larger will of God. The biblical foundation James 5:14-15 does not promise unconditional physical healing; it promises the prayer of faith, the forgiveness of sins, and the presence and grace of God. This text is an editorial composition drawing on the biblical pattern of James 5 and on the historical liturgical anointing prayers across Christian traditions. It is presented as a usable form of the prayer for healing with anointing.
Common questions
Where is anointing of the sick in the Bible?
The principal biblical text is James 5:14-15: 'Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: and the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up.' The practice also appears in Mark 6:13, where Christ's disciples anointed the sick with oil and healed many.
Is anointing only Catholic?
No. Anointing of the sick is practiced across Christian traditions. The Roman Catholic Church counts it among the seven sacraments. The Eastern Orthodox Church practices the Holy Mystery of Unction. The Anglican Communion includes anointing rites in many of its prayer books. Methodist, Lutheran, and many evangelical traditions practice anointing with oil for healing prayer. The biblical foundation in James 5 is shared across all Christian traditions.
Does anointing always result in physical healing?
No. The biblical instruction in James 5 does not promise unconditional physical healing. It promises the prayer of faith, the forgiveness of sins, and the presence and grace of God. Christian theology of anointing has always held together two possibilities: the prayer asks for healing while submitting to the larger will of God, and trusts that God's presence and grace are given whatever the outcome. The Catholic Catechism (1532) summarizes the effects of the Sacrament of the Sick as union with Christ's passion, strengthening, peace, the forgiveness of sins, and, if it is God's will, the restoration of bodily health.
Source
Drawn from the biblical instruction in James 5:14-15 and the historical liturgical anointing prayers of the Christian Church. Editorial composition for general pastoral use. Public domain.
Last reviewed: June 2026 against primary source.