Think about the moments that define who you are. Pulling on a team jersey before a big game doesn’t just identify you as a player; it connects you to your teammates and fills you with a sense of purpose. A family heirloom passed down through generations isn’t just an object; it’s a link to your history and a sign of belonging. A signature on a document isn’t just ink on paper; it’s your personal promise, a permanent mark of your commitment. These things are symbols, and they carry a weight and meaning far beyond what you can see.
As you approach your Confirmation, you are preparing for a moment that carries a meaning deeper and more permanent than any of these. At the heart of this sacrament is a simple action: a bishop or priest will trace the Sign of the Cross on your forehead with a special, sweet-smelling oil called Sacred Chrism. This anointing is more than just a mark; it is a powerful, spiritual event that changes you forever.
It is easy to think of Confirmation as a kind of graduation ceremony—the end of years of religious education classes. But the truth is the exact opposite. Confirmation is not an end; it is a powerful beginning. It is the moment when you are fully equipped for the next phase of your faith journey. It is a spiritual commissioning, where you are sealed with the Holy Spirit and sent out into the world as a true witness for Christ. The Sacrament of Confirmation completes the grace you first received at your Baptism, strengthening you with the gifts of the Holy Spirit so you can live your faith boldly and serve others. The key to understanding this profound transformation lies in the rich symbolism of the sacred Chrism used to anoint you.
The Quick Answer: What Does the Chrism Symbolize?
Before we dive deep into the history and meaning, here is a quick guide to the powerful symbolism of the Chrism you will receive at your Confirmation.
- What is Chrism? Chrism is a special, blessed oil used in the Catholic Church. It is made from pure olive oil mixed with a fragrant perfume called balsam. A bishop blesses this oil once a year during Holy Week, making it sacred.
- What does the anointing mean? The act of anointing you with Chrism is a sign of consecration—it sets you apart for God’s mission. It connects you directly to Jesus, whose title, “Christ,” means “the Anointed One.” Through this anointing, you share more completely in His mission and are filled with the Holy Spirit.
- What does the “seal” symbolize? When the bishop anoints you, he says, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit.” This “seal” is like a permanent, spiritual mark of ownership. In ancient times, a king would use a wax seal to show a letter was authentic and belonged to him. In Confirmation, God places His seal on you, marking you as His own forever. It is a sign that you belong completely to Christ and are promised His divine protection.
- What is the purpose? The anointing with Chrism strengthens you for your mission as a Christian. It completes your baptismal grace, deepens your relationship with God, and gives you a special strength to be a witness for Jesus in the world through your words and actions.
The Holy Oil: A Look Inside Sacred Chrism
The sacred Chrism used in your Confirmation is not just any oil. Its ingredients are chosen with great care, and its preparation is a sacred event that reveals a great deal about our Church. Every element, from the olive oil to the fragrant perfume, is packed with meaning.
A Divine Recipe: Olive Oil and Balsam
Sacred Chrism is made from two primary ingredients: pure olive oil and a fragrant resinous perfume called balsam. This recipe has ancient roots, echoing the holy anointing oil God commanded Moses to create in the Old Testament. The choice of these two substances is deeply intentional, as each carries its own powerful symbolism.
Olive Oil: A Symbol of Strength and Grace
For thousands of years, olive oil has been a symbol of strength, healing, and abundance. In the ancient world, athletes would rub olive oil on their muscles to prepare for competition, believing it brought them strength and protection.8 It was used as a medicine to soothe wounds, a fuel to give light, and a key ingredient in food that provided nourishment.
In a spiritual sense, olive oil represents the rich and abundant grace of God. It symbolizes the spiritual strength you receive in Confirmation to live as a follower of Christ. Just as oil soaks in and strengthens, the grace of the Holy Spirit permeates your soul, equipping you for the spiritual challenges of life. This anointing prepares you for a spiritual battle against temptation, giving you the strength to stand firm in your faith.
Balsam: The Sweet Aroma of Christ
Mixed into the olive oil is balsam, a sweet-smelling perfume. This fragrance is not just to make the oil smell nice; it carries a profound spiritual meaning. The balsam represents the “sweet aroma of Christ”. The Apostle Paul wrote that the lives of Christians should give off this beautiful fragrance, spreading the knowledge and love of God wherever they go.
The sweet scent symbolizes the joy and goodness of a Christian life. When you are confirmed, you are called to make a positive impression on the world, not through your own power, but by living a life of virtue and kindness that points others toward Christ. Your actions, your words, and your charity are meant to be a pleasant fragrance that spreads the Good News to everyone you meet.
From the Bishop’s Hands to Your Parish
The process of preparing the Chrism is just as meaningful as its ingredients. This holy oil is not made in a factory or blessed by just anyone. It is consecrated by the bishop of your diocese at a special service called the Chrism Mass, which usually takes place on Holy Thursday during the most sacred week of the year.
This event is a powerful symbol of the unity of the Church. The priests from every parish in the diocese gather with their bishop, who is a successor to the apostles. The bishop blesses the oils for the entire diocese, and the priests then take that same oil back to their home parishes. This demonstrates that the sacrament you receive is not an isolated event. The very oil used to anoint you is a physical link connecting you to your bishop, to the apostles, and to the entire universal Church. When you are anointed, you are being brought into a lineage of faith that stretches back two thousand years.
During the consecration, the bishop performs a unique and ancient gesture: he breathes over the large vessel of Chrism. This action recalls the moment when Jesus, after his Resurrection, breathed on his disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”. This gesture symbolizes the Holy Spirit Himself being imparted to the oil, transforming it from a simple mixture into a sacred vehicle of God’s grace. The oil becomes a tangible carrier of the Church’s unity and the life-giving power of the Holy Spirit.
| Element / Action | What It Is | What It Symbolizes |
| Olive Oil | The base ingredient of Chrism. | Strength, God’s abundant grace, healing, preparation for spiritual battle. |
| Balsam (Perfume) | The fragrant ingredient mixed with the oil. | The sweet “aroma of Christ,” the call to spread the joy of the Gospel, the sweetness of a virtuous life. |
| The Anointing | The action of making the Sign of the Cross on the forehead with Chrism. | Consecration (being set apart for God’s mission), sharing in Christ’s identity as the “Anointed One”. |
| The Seal | The permanent, spiritual mark left by the anointing. | A mark of belonging to Christ; a sign of authenticity, ownership, and divine protection. |
The Anointing: A Moment That Lasts Forever
The central and most sacred moment of your Confirmation is the anointing itself. The bishop dips his right thumb into the Chrism, places it on your forehead, and traces the Sign of the Cross while speaking the powerful words of the sacrament. This single moment is filled with layers of meaning that will shape the rest of your life.
“Be Sealed”: God’s Permanent Promise
As the bishop anoints you, he says the words, “Be sealed with the Gift of the Holy Spirit”. These words are not just a prayer; they are an action. They accomplish what they say. At that moment, you are spiritually and permanently sealed.
To understand what a “seal” means, think of how important documents were treated in ancient times. A king or an emperor would write a decree and then drip hot wax onto it, pressing his personal ring into the wax. This seal proved two things: the document was authentic, and it belonged to the king. No one could tamper with it without breaking the seal.
In Confirmation, God the Father places His own seal upon you. This spiritual seal is a mark of authenticity and ownership. It declares to the world and to all of heaven that you belong to Him completely and forever. It is a sign of His permanent commitment to you, deepening the covenant He first made with you at your Baptism.
This seal is described as an “indelible spiritual mark”. “Indelible” means it cannot be erased. Just like Baptism, Confirmation can only be received once because the mark it leaves on your soul is permanent. This seal is also a promise of divine protection. Just as a seal on a letter protected its contents, God’s seal on your soul is a promise of His help and strength in the spiritual trials you will face. In ancient times, soldiers and gladiators were anointed with oil before battle to make them slippery and difficult for their opponents to grab. In the same way, the anointing with Chrism is a spiritual preparation that makes it harder for the Devil to get a hold on you, strengthening you for the spiritual battles ahead.
Anointed for a Mission
The very act of anointing has been a sign of a special calling from God for thousands of years. In the Old Testament, when God chose someone for a specific and important mission, they were anointed with oil. Priests were anointed to lead the people in worship. Prophets were anointed to speak God’s word. Kings were anointed to rule God’s people. This anointing, or consecration, set them apart and gave them the authority and divine help to carry out their mission.
When you are anointed with Chrism at Confirmation, you are sharing in this sacred tradition. You are being consecrated—set apart—for a mission. That mission is to be a “true witness of Christ” in the world. Confirmation is your personal Pentecost. On the first Pentecost, the apostles, who had been hiding in fear, were filled with the Holy Spirit and went out to boldly proclaim the Gospel. In the same way, Confirmation gives you a special strength and courage of the Holy Spirit to “spread and defend the faith by word and deed”. You are being empowered to share your faith not just in church, but in your school, with your friends, in your family, and eventually in your workplace.
The location of the anointing is also deeply significant. It is not done on your hand or your shoulder, but on your forehead. The forehead is the most visible part of a person; it is part of what people see first when they meet you. Anointing you on the forehead is a public statement of your identity. It signifies that your faith in Christ is not meant to be a private secret, but a visible part of who you are. It is a call to live your life in such a way that the first thing people notice about you is your identity as a follower of Jesus.
What’s in a Name? From “Chrism” to “Christian”
The connection between you, the holy oil, and Jesus Himself is hidden in the very words we use. These words are all related and reveal a beautiful truth about your identity after Confirmation.
- Chrism: This comes from the Greek word chrisma, which simply means “anointing” or “anointing oil”.
- Christ: This is the Greek title for Jesus. It is not his last name. The word Christos means “the Anointed One”. Jesus is the one whom God anointed with the Holy Spirit for the mission of saving the world.
- Christian: This is the name we call followers of Christ. Early Church fathers like St. Cyril of Jerusalem explained that we are called “Christians” precisely because we have been anointed with Chrism.
When you are anointed with Chrism, you are conformed more perfectly to Christ, the Anointed One. You receive a share in His own anointing by the Holy Spirit, and you are called to continue His mission in the world today. Being a Christian means being an “anointed one.”
Living as an Anointed Witness
The beautiful symbols of Chrism and the powerful grace of Confirmation are not meant to be left behind in the church. They are given to you to be lived out every single day. The anointing with Chrism equips you for a lifelong adventure of faith, empowering you with spiritual gifts and sending you on a mission to share God’s love with the world.
A Strength for the Journey: The Seven Gifts
The symbolism of the strong olive oil comes to life in you through the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. You first received these gifts at your Baptism, but in Confirmation, they are strengthened and sealed within you, like tools given to you for the journey ahead. These gifts are not magical superpowers; they are enduring qualities from God that help you navigate life and make choices that are in line with His will.
- Wisdom: Helps you see life from God’s point of view and recognize what is truly important.
- Understanding: Gives you a deeper insight into the truths of your faith and helps you know yourself better as you grow in knowing God.
- Counsel (Right Judgment): Helps you make good and moral choices, to know the difference between right and wrong, and to seek and give good advice.
- Fortitude (Courage): Gives you the spiritual strength to stand up for your faith, to resist peer pressure, and to do the right thing even when it is difficult.
- Knowledge: Helps you to know God and to see His hand at work in the world around you.
- Piety (Reverence): Gives you a deep respect for God and a desire to worship Him. It also helps you to respect others as children of God.
- Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe): This isn’t about being scared of God. It is about being filled with a sense of awe and wonder at His greatness and His incredible love for you.
These seven gifts are the spiritual strength—symbolized by the olive oil—that enables you to live out your mission as a confirmed Catholic.
Sharing the “Aroma of Christ”
Finally, we return to the beautiful fragrance of the balsam in the Chrism. This symbolizes your mission to be a positive, life-giving presence in the world. Just as the scent of perfume can change the atmosphere of a room, your life as a confirmed Christian is meant to spread the joy, peace, and love of Christ to others.
You share the “aroma of Christ” every time you choose kindness over cruelty, forgiveness over revenge, and honesty over deceit. You share it when you stand up for someone who is being mistreated, when you offer a word of encouragement to a friend who is struggling, or when you simply live your life with integrity and joy. Your life becomes a witness, a “good odor of Christ” that can draw others to Him.
Your Confirmation is not the end of your faith journey; it is your commissioning. You are sealed with God’s own mark of love and protection. You are strengthened with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And you are sent out on a mission to be the face, the hands, and the heart of Jesus in the world. You are sealed and sent, an anointed witness ready for the incredible adventure God has planned for you.