The answer
The Canons of St. Hippolytus say that one of the priests anoints the candidates for baptism after they have renounced the devil and before their immersion and confession of faith. They are anointed by the oil of exorcism,1340 to be grafted in the olive tree, the Church, instead of the wild olive tree. This was affirmed by the holy Fathers and also by the liturgy itself. St. Serapion’s Euchologion says, “And we anoint with this oil those who approach this divine rebirth, imploring that our Lord Christ Jesus may work in it and reveal healing and strength-producing power through this oil [or, imploring that healing and strength- producing power may work in it and reveal our Lord Christ Jesus through this oil], and may heal their soul, body, spirit from every sign of sin and lawlessness or satanic taint.”1341
Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
Notes
1340 E. C. Whitaker and M. E. Johnson, Documents of the Baptismal Liturgy (revised 3rd ed.) (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003) Canon 19: p. 134.
1341 E. C. Whitaker and M. E. Johnson, Documents of the Baptismal Liturgy (revised 3rd ed.) (Collegeville, Minnesota: Liturgical Press, 2003) 15: p. 130.