EXTREME UNCTION, a sacrament of the Roman Catholic Church for the bodily and spiritual comfort of the sick whose death is deemed to be imminent. The words of the apostle Saint James in his epistle, ch. v, 14, 15, any among you sick," etc., are interpreted as relating to this sacrament. The unction therefore is administered to the sick and to those only who are in danger of death from sickness or from injury or accident; hence, it is not administered to persons under sentence of death, nor to those about to undergo a dan gerous surgical operation, or the like; nor to persons bereft of their reason; neither is it administered to children who have not reached the age of reason; for the principal end of this sacrament is, not restoration of bodily health, but forgiveness of sins. he has committed sins they shall be forgiven him." In the pas sage from Saint James are found all the essen tial conditions of a sacrament, namely, the •outward to wit: the anointing and the prayer of faith; and the ainward grace," typi fied by the outward sign, namely, forgiveness of sins. The divine institution of this sacra ment is implied in the words of the epistle of Saint James where it recommends its use and declares its efficacy for the remission of sins. Nevertheless extreme unction is not adminis tered save after the person has made confession of his sins and received absolution in the sacra ment of penance. In administering extreme unction the priest performing the ceremony must use olive oil that has been consecrated by the bishop i he dips the thumb of his right hand into it and, by marking them with the sign of the cross, anoints the organs of the five senses, pronouncing at each anointing the words, •13y this holy unction and by his most tender mercy may the Lord forgive thee what soever sin thou hast committed by sight') (per visum), or hearing" (per auditum), etc.
The origin and history of extreme unction have been subjects of extended and violent discus sion and, as a result, a large controversial litera ture has come into existence. Extreme unction was practised in the early Church, but not until the 11th century was it called a sacrament. Such it was decreed by Pope Eugenius IV at the Council of Florence (A.D. 1439). Its ceremo nial, etc., was definitely established by the Council of Trent (A.D. 1551). The English Lutheran and other evangelical churches do not admit the contention that it is a sacrament. The Greek Church includes it among its sacra ments; the application, however, differs in some respect from that practised by the Roman Church and is not limited to cases of supposed mortal illness. (See SACRAMENTS). Consult Buckley, T. A., transl., 'The Catechism of the Council of Trent' (London 1852) ; Puller, F. W., 'The Anointing of the Sick in Scripture and Tradition' (London 1904) ; Toner, P. J., 'Extreme Unction' (in Catholic Encyclo pedia,' Vol. V, New York 1909).