The oil was pressed from olives harvested on the Mount of Olives, and has been perfumed with sesame, rose, jasmine, cinnamon, neroli, benzoin, amber oil and orange blossoms.

The ceremony was conducted by His Beatitude Patriarch Theophilos III, head of the Greek Orthodox Church in Jerusalem, and the Most Rev Hosam Naoum, the Anglican archbishop in Jerusalem.

The ritual was held at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the traditional site of Christ's crucifixion and burial.

Reflecting modern animal-friendly sensitivities, the oil used to anoint the King will not include any ingredients from animals. Previous versions have included civet oil and ambergris from the intestines of whales.

The anointing of the King has echoes of a christening or the ordination into religious orders, with the monarch being symbolically touched with holy oil on the head, chest and hands.

However, this was considered such a sacred moment that television cameras were prohibited from filming it in 1953.

There has been speculation about whether the anointing will be shown on TV during the coronation of King Charles III.

Deep historic links

The oil has a royal family significance, partly using olives grown on the Mount of Olives at the Monastery of Mary Magdalene, where the King's grandmother, Princess Alice, is buried.

In his Christmas message, the King spoke of his own Christian faith and how much he had been moved when he visited biblical sites, such as Jesus' birthplace in Bethlehem.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, welcomed the use of oil from the Mount of Olives, a site outside Jerusalem with many biblical connections.

"This demonstrates the deep historic link between the coronation, the Bible and the Holy Land," said the archbishop. "From ancient kings through to the present day, monarchs have been anointed with oil from this sacred place."

The implements used for the anointing, including a spoon, are rare survivors of the original medieval coronation regalia, most of which were destroyed on the orders of Oliver Cromwell in 1649.

Charles will be formally crowned on 6 May at Westminster Abbey in London during a ceremony combining elements of tradition with modern touches that highlight the changing face of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth.

Sources

AP News

BBC

The church's bishop, Victor Silva who is currently in Fiji, said via email that the UCKG believed God could heal people.

"We - like many Christians - pray for the sick, anointing them with oil and encourage people to do the same.

"This is never meant to replace medical treatments, but often it is done in conjunction with them, as a way to activate people's faith."

Claims from followers that the oil, as well as faith, have treated chronic illness are made in a pamphlet advertising an event called Lifted, which the UCKG billed as the "event of the year".

Naina Sharma, who works for the church, said the testimonials came mainly from people in New Zealand and Australia.

However she pointed out that there is a disclaimer in the pamphlet.

"If you read the disclaimer we say we don't claim to heal anyone," she said before declining to comment further.

In small print, the pamphlet makes this disclaimer: "The UCKG does not claim to heal people but believes God can through the power of faith. Always follow your doctor's instructions."

This is not the first time the UCKG' healing oil has been in the news. In 2014 the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) upheld a complaint about it from the Society for Science Based Healthcare.

This was after Silva, responding to a previous successful ASA complaint, had promised that:

"When we come to hold another similar event, we will take external advice as to the content of any promotional material to doubly ensure that it is fully compliant with all regulation and that there is no chance of another complaint of this nature."

Despite these assurances, within 3 weeks the church sent out another advertisement for a "chain of prayer" series of events.

This advert claimed that "IT WORKS!" and that a "HEALING" session covered cases such as "When doctors & medicines are not enough" and "incurable diseases".

Source

• nzherald.co.nz
• scoop.co.nz
• Image: newstalkzb.co.nz

Gaby Dean, 27, who said he had been blind since birth, told the crowded Vodafone Events Centre he could now distinguish the lights on the ceiling.

In an earlier interview with the New Zealand Herald The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) said its "holy oil" — olive oil purported to have been blessed at the sites of biblical miracles in Israel — helped to cure tumours, mental illness, stomach and bladder problems, marriage difficulties, strokes and heart defects.

When pushed by the Herald for evidence of any healing, Silva said the oil could not cure illness. Using it was an act of faith, he said, and faith could help in the restorative process.

In it's promotional video the UCKG the message, "The UCKG Help centre does not claim to heal people, but it believes God can, through the power of faith. Always follow your doctor's instructions." is flashed up from time to time.

Source

• The New Zealand Herald
• The New Zealand Herald
• Image:UCKG