« The Sacrament of Unction was celebrated at Dormition Cathedral in London »
14-03-2026 
On Thursday, March 12, 2026, the Sacrament of Unction (Anointing of the Sick) was celebrated at Dormition Cathedral in London. Bishop Matthew of Sourozh, Rector of the cathedral, presided over the service.
His Grace was assisted by Archpriest Maxim Nikolsky, Archpriest Vitaly Polishchuk, Dean of the Diocesan District of South East England, Archpriest Dmitry Nedostupenko, Secretary of the Diocese of Sourozh, Archpriest Nikita Kozlov, Priest Alexander Kapustin, and Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch.
Following the service, Archpriest Vitaly Polishchuk delivered a sermon. Simultaneous translation into English was provided by Protodeacon Vadim Santsevitch.
Unction is a sacrament in which the body is anointed with oil, invoking God's grace to heal spiritual and physical ailments. The history of this sacrament goes back to the apostles, who, having received the power to heal the sick from Jesus Christ, "anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them" (Mark 6:13).
During the Sacrament, seven texts from the Apostolic Epistles and seven from the Gospel are read. After each reading, the priest anoints the forehead, cheeks, chest, and hands of the person being anointed with holy oil.
After the final reading of the Holy Scripture, he places the open Gospel on the head of the sick person and prays for the forgiveness of their sins.
Through the Sacrament of Unction, a person receives forgiveness for forgotten or unrecognized sins, which is why not only the sick but also the healthy try to receive it at least once a year. Unction requires faith and repentance.
After or before the Sacrament of Unction, Orthodox Christians typically try to confess and receive Holy Communion. Desiring healing from an illness, a person must first and foremost absolve themselves of their sins.