Folia Theologica et Canonica 3. 25/17 (2014)

IUS CANONICUM - Szabolcs Anzelm Szuromi, O.Praem., Crystallization process of the ecclesiastical discipline regarding the sacrament of extreme unction and its canon law historical sources

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SZABOLCS ANZELM SZUROMI, O.PRAEM.

of the eyes, the ears, the nose, the mouth (closed lips), the hands and the feet.90 The prescription of the Rituale Strigoniense (1907) is in full harmony with this description.91 The anointing of the loin is forbidden already in the CIC (1917)92 93, which stand was built upon the norm of title V of the editio typica of the Rituale Romanian, that was published by Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) in 1884, as well as upon the provision of the Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith in 1843” and of the Holy Office in 1889.94 The sources agree that in case of grave necessity a single anointing is enough, for which, on the basis of the Rituale Romanian ( 1957)95 and the CIC (1917) Can. 947 § 1 the authors mention the forehead, but it is also noted, that in case of e.g. skin-disease the anointing may take place on any part of the body. The justification of this minimal condition is that the administrator had to make the anointing in any case with his own hand and not with some tool, for validity. CIC (1917) Can. 947 § 4 and CIC Can. 1000 § 2 made possible the incidental usage of a tool already in case of a grave reason.96 We may relate to this point the provision of CIC (1917), which prescribed that the failed anointing after the passing of the grave circumstances must be performed.97 This prescription does not appear any more in the rubrics of the Ordo Unctionis infirmorum eorumque pastoralis cura of 197298 neither in the current Code of Canon Law.99

Concerning the reasons of reception of the holy anointment a meticulous casuistry developed during the Church’s history, whose practical considerations mirror crystal clearly the social circumstances of the time of the formation of the causes, the contemporary illnesses, and the development of contemporary medicine. Despite of that, that some authors support with Biblical exegesis the fundamental case of the administration of the holy anointment, that is, it takes place in grave danger of death100, yet we must note that the Church's traditional

90 Rituale Romanian (1957) 186-188.

91 Rituale Strigoniense seu formula agendorum in administratione sacramentorum ac ceteris ecc- lesiaefunctionibus, Strigonii 1907. 142-143.

92 CIC (1917) Can. 947 §2.

93 S.C. de Prop. Fide (21 sept. 1843): Leges Ecclesiae, VII. 9465.

94 S.C. S. Officii (28 aug. 1889): Leges Ecclesiae, VII. 9465.

95 Rituale Romanum (1957) Tit. VI cap. I, 20: In casu necessitatis sufficit unica unctio in uno sensu, seu recitus in fronte, cum hac forma breviori: Per istam sanctam Unctionem indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid deliquisti. Amen.

96 Bánk, J., Kánoni jog, II. 141. Listl, J. - Schmitz, H. (Hrsg.), Handbuch des katholischen Kirchenrechts, Regensburg 1999.2 864.

97 CIC (1917) Can. 947 § 1.

98 Ordo Unctionis infirmorum eorumque pastoralis cura, Typis Polyglottis Vaticanis 1972.

99 CIC Can. 1000 § 1.

1011 E.g., Cappello, F. M., Tractatus canonico - morális de sacramentis, III: De extrema unctione, 152-153.