Bishop Koenig, brother priests celebrate 2025 Chrism Mass at Church of the Holy Cross in the Diocese of Wilmington — Photo gallery

Almost all of the priests in the Diocese of Wilmington joined Bishop William E. Koenig and Bishop Emeritus W. Francis Malooly for the annual Chrism Mass April 15 at Church of the Holy Cross.

The Christian liturgy has adopted the Old Testament usage of anointing kings, priests and prophets with consecratory oil because they prefigured Christ, whose name means “the anointed by the Lord.”

Similarly, the Chrism is a sign that Christians, incorporated by Baptism into the Paschal Mystery of Christ, dying, buried and rising with him, are sharers in his kingly and prophetic priesthood and that by confirmation they receive that spiritual anointing of the spirit who is given to them.

The sacred Chrism, consecrated by the bishop, is used to anoint the newly baptized, to seal the candidates for confirmation, and to anoint the hands of priests and the heads of bishops at their ordination, as well as in the rites of anointing at the dedication of churches and altars.