Commentary on Sacred Oil

[Gnomistry 1115]

Spoiler

 

Commentary on Sacred Oil

 

 

Gospel 2:34-38

 

Now on the third day of Horen’s fast, he saw the Aengul Tesion, who bore a laurel of olive leaves in his right hand and a silver horn in his left. The Aengul dipped the horn into the waters of the Grotto of Gamesh and poured them onto Horen’s brow. And the Aengul said “Here, I cleanse you. And you join GOD’s servants.” And again Tesion raised his hands, and placed the laurel upon Horen’s head. And the Aengul said “Here, I crown you. And you are His prophet.”

 

In Gospel 2:34-38, the Aengul Tesion anoints the first prophet, Horen, with an olive laurel, marking a moment of profound purification and divine selection. The name Tesion is believed to be derived from the Flexian "tessera," meaning a fragment or piece of a larger whole, with additional connotations drawn from the tesseract—a four-dimensional object that transcends the boundaries of the physical realm. However, I posit the root of the word comes from the Ancient Flexian צ.י.ן (Tzayin), which means mark, sign, or memorial. The word Tzion can be understood as a "mark" or "monument" that represents something important, something to be remembered or revered. To understand the continuity of Horen’s anointing in our faith, we must explore the olive laurel’s role in Canonist rituals, especially the post-Horenic practice of oil anointing. 

The olive tree symbolizes endurance. Since Horen, the olive has represented the connection between the divine and the mortal. Just as the olive grows through hardship to yield sacred oil, so too does the soul, through trials, transform into something purer and more aligned with GOD’s will. Only through this hardship can the olive become a vessel capable of purifying, healing, and bringing divine presence into the world.

The anointing of Horen foreshadows the later use of olive oil in religious rites. The laurel placed upon his brow marked the beginning of a transformative practice. Later, the oil from the same tree would be applied to the forehead to serve as a conduit to consecrate priests and kings, empowering them to fulfill their sacred duties.

It was High Priest Bernard, the first halfling leader of the faith, who formalized the use of olive oil in rituals. Raised among the olive groves, Bernard recognized its potential as a tool for spiritual transformation. His vision led to the creation of the Ritual of Anointing, or Unction.

The process begins with the harvest. The first olives picked are the smallest and darkest, as they hold the most concentrated essence. Each olive is carefully chosen, for the oil it produces carries divine power. To harvest the olive is to acknowledge that each tree, like each soul, ripens in its own time.

Once gathered, the olives are crushed to release their oil. This crushing symbolizes life’s trials—the tension and breaking down of barriers. The olive is transformed, its outer shell giving way to the sacred oil within. The crushing is a necessary refinement, revealing the olive’s inner light.

The olives are then pressed slowly and reverently. The pressure applied is consistent and gentle, ensuring the purest oil is drawn out. This stage, like the soul’s ascent through spiritual practice, requires patience.

Finally, the oil is separated from the water and solids. The pure oil rises to the top, while the water and particles sink below. This separation speaks to the soul’s journey to transcend the physical, rising above the temporal to unite with the divine.

 

✝Bishop Vanderwink Ambertoe of Mikdanberg