The Blessing of Water with Holy Ointment Ceremony

According to one of the priests of St. Sarkis Church, the Holy Ointment existed before the Crucifixion and Ascension of Christ. At the time a sinful woman purchased some expensive oil and washed Christ's feet with it, and this oil has been preserved by the Disciples since then.
After Christ's Ascension, the Disciples made more oil and mixed the old oil and when they went to the four corners of the world to spread the Gospel they took the ointment with them and distributed to different churches for performing baptisms and the blessing of the people of towns and villages.
The Ointment which today is kept in Beirut, is mixed with new oil every seven years, and is distributed among churches around the world. The Ointment is from 40 to 49 different herbs, such as mustard, olives, fenugreek.
In this ceremony which was held on Friday in St. Sarkis Church in the presence of Archbishop Sebouh Sarksian, following Mass, the Blessing of Water with Holy Ointment was conducted, and at the end a memorial was held for the souls of the departed by the Archbishop and at the end the Armenian congregation took sips of the Water blessed by the Holy Ointment for the health of the sick.