Anointing of the sick is a sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church and of Eastern Orthodox churches. A priest administers the sacrament to a person who is aged, seriously ill, or in danger of death from sickness or an accident. The sacrament may also be administered to a group, such as patients in a hospital. In the Roman Catholic Church, the sacrament was formerly called extreme unction. In administering the sacrament, the priest anoints a person’s hands and forehead with holy oil. At the same time, prayers are said for the person’s spiritual and physical healing. The prayers are based on the Epistle of James (5:13-15).
