# Last Rites **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 29, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154 "2005-11-29T02:00:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Immortal\_Sin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Immortal\_Sin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Immortal_Sin)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/1 "2005-11-29T02:00:11Z")
I have been searching for the Last rites. I am looking for what the actual latin phrase which is said over the sick and dying by priests. and the english translation. I have found many references to the “Sacrament of Extreme Unction” and them being the last rites but no where do I find exactly what a priest says of the sick and dying any help would be greatly appreciated Thanx ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/2 "2005-11-29T02:09:10Z")
_Accipe, carissime frater (carissima soror), viaticum corporis nostri Jesu Christi, quod te custodiat ab hoste maligno, protegat te, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam. Amen._ Can’t translate into English it for you, I’m afraid, but I’m sure one of our Latin scholars will be along shortly. ---
**Author:** ![Casey1505](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/dc4da7/32.png) [@Casey1505](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Casey1505)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/3 "2005-11-29T02:10:34Z")
Is [this](http://www.fisheaters.com/unction.html) what you are looking for? > [@](#): > > The form of the Sacrament are the words: > > Through this Holy Unction or oil, and through the great goodness of His mercy, may God pardon thee whatever sins thou hast committed by evil use of sight (sight, hearing, smell, taste and speech, touch, ability to walk). > > Latin: > Per istam sanctan unctionem et suam piissimam misericordiam, indulgeat tibi Dominus quidquid per (visum, audtiotum, odorátum, gustum et locutiónem, tactum, gressum deliquisti.) About 1/3 of the way down in the link is the entire Rite. Latin on the left, English on the right. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/4 "2005-11-29T02:39:08Z")
The Last Rites are the ministrations at the time of impending death. When time and the condition of the dying person permit, they include: [ul] [li]Confession and Absolution[/li][li]Anointing of the Sick[/li][li]Viaticum Communion[/li][/ul] “Extreme Unction” was the former name of the Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick, when it was reserved for those in imminent danger of death. Today it is administered more in the way in which James originally described it, not reserved for the Last Rites. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/5 "2005-11-29T06:10:23Z")
It’s worth noting that the link provided by \*\*Casey1505 \*\* is to the pre-Vatican II ritual. The current ritual has been considerably dumbed down. ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/6 "2005-11-29T06:20:11Z")
For good measure, and once again proving that more is more, here is the same sacrament according to the [Byzantine rite](http://www.fatheralexander.org/booklets/english/holy_unction_e.htm). ---
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 7:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/7 "2005-11-29T07:14:24Z")
> [@Q.E.D.](#): > > _Accipe, carissime frater (carissima soror), viaticum corporis nostri Jesu Christi, quod te custodiat ab hoste maligno, protegat te, et perducat te ad vitam aeternam. Amen._ > > Can’t translate into English it for you, I’m afraid, but I’m sure one of our Latin scholars will be along shortly. Accept, dear brother (sister), the body of our Jesus Christ, who will keep you safe from the forces of evil, protect you, and deliver you to eternal life. Amen. “Viaticum” implies that the particular Communion being received is to sustain the recipient on his/her journey. (This isn’t even remotely a liturgical rendition, just something I put together from my 40-year-old Latin studies. But it should do until something better comes along.) ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/last-rites/333154/8 "2005-11-29T18:23:22Z")
> [@](#): > > Accept, dear brother (sister), the body of our Jesus Christ, who will keep you safe from the forces of evil, protect you, and deliver you to eternal life. Amen. > > “Viaticum” implies that the particular Communion being received is to sustain the recipient on his/her journey. > > (This isn’t even remotely a liturgical rendition, just something I put together from my 40-year-old Latin studies. But it should do until something better comes along.) Looks a pretty accurate translation. It should be noted, though, that this is the phrase the priest says when giving viaticum (i.e. communion right before death), and isn’t part of the sacrament of extreme unction per se. Per the link given earlier to the traditional Latin form of the sacrament, what is said at the moment of annointing is: > [@](#): > > Per istam sanctam Unctiónem + et suam piisimam misericórdiam, indúlgeat tibi Dóminus quidquid per (visum, audtiotum, odorátum, gustum et locutiónem, tactum, gressum deliquisti.) > > By this holy unction + and his own most gracious mercy, may the Lord pardon you whatever sin you have committed by (sight, hearing, smell, taste and speech, touch, ability to walk).