What does chrism mean?
Chrism is a consecrated oil used in Christian liturgy, traditionally made by blending olive oil with fragrant balsam and blessed by a bishop — most notably during Holy Week ceremonies. Its purpose is sacramental: it is applied in baptism and confirmation to seal the recipient with the Holy Spirit, and in ordinations and the consecration of churches and altars. The word derives from the Greek 'khrisma', meaning an anointing, the same root that gives English the name 'Christ', which means 'the anointed one'. Because of this lineage, chrism carries deep theological resonance across Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and other liturgical traditions. Outside religious settings the word is uncommon, appearing mainly in discussions of church history, ritual, and art, where depictions of anointing often reference it.
nounA consecrated mixture of olive oil and balsam, blessed by a bishop and used in Christian sacraments such as baptism, confirmation, and ordination.
- Consecrated oil (olive oil mixed with balsam) blessed by a bishop and used in Christian sacramental rites such as baptism, confirmation, holy orders, and the consecration of churches and altars.
"The bishop blessed the chrism at the morning Mass of Holy Thursday, preparing it for the year's baptisms and confirmations."
"At the Easter Vigil, each newly baptized Christian was sealed with fragrant chrism."
"The ancient amphora still held traces of the chrism once used to anoint Coptic priests."
Rarely used in the plural, since chrism typically appears in liturgical contexts referring to a single consecrated batch or substance; when pluralized, it refers to multiple distinct batches or regional varieties of the oil.
"The diocesan archives recorded the blessings of three separate chrisms over the course of the century."
Every drop of Catholic chrism in the world is meant to be blessed by a bishop during Holy Week — and its name comes from the same Greek root as 'Christ', literally meaning 'an anointing'.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of chrism
Chrism comes from the Ancient Greek 'khrisma' (χρῖσμα), meaning 'an unguent or anointing', itself derived from the verb 'khriein', 'to anoint'. The word passed into Latin as 'chrisma' and entered Old French and Middle English, where it was attested by the early medieval period. It shares its Greek root with 'Christos' ('the anointed one'), making chrism etymologically bound to the very name of Christ.
Related word forms
How chrism is actually used
Chrism is a formal, ecclesiastical term belonging chiefly to liturgical language in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Anglican, and some Lutheran traditions. It carries strongly reverent connotations and is rarely used outside religious contexts. The related verb sense, 'to anoint with chrism', is archaic.
Easily confused with chrism
A chasm is a deep fissure or gap in the earth or a profound division between people, whereas chrism is sacred anointing oil; they share only a similar spelling pattern.
A prism is an optical object that refracts light, while chrism is consecrated oil — they rhyme but have entirely unrelated meanings.