The oil which will be used to anoint King Charles III in May has been officially declared sacred in a ceremony in Jerusalem.
The service, which took place in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, was led by the patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, and the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem, Most Rev Hosam Naoum.
Archbishop Hosam said he had “felt a deep sense of spiritual experience” during the ceremony.
The Archbishop of Canterbury will place the chrism oil on the King’s chest, head and hand during the coronation in May.
It is made from olives grown on the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem and seasoned with sesame, rose, cinnamon and orange blossoms.
The Queen Consort will also be anointed with the oil following the example of the Queen Mother when she was crowned Queen in 1937.
The Archbishop of Canterbury said: “I want to thank especially His Beatitude for providing this Coronation Oil, which reflects the King’s personal family connection with the Holy Land and his great care for its peoples.
"I am also delighted that the Anglican Archbishop in Jerusalem shared in the consecration of the oil.
“Since beginning the planning for the Coronation, my desire has been for a new Coronation Oil to be produced using olive oil from the Mount of Olives.
"This demonstrates the deep historic link between the Coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land.
“From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place.
"As we prepare to anoint the King and the Queen Consort, I pray that they would be guided and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
”The oil is based on what was used at the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the formula of which has been used for hundreds of years."
King Charles' coronation will take place on Saturday, 6 May 2023, at Westminster Abbey.