Stone of unction

[johnlambert]

What is the Stone of Unction? in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher Jerusalem

[Tatty Rollox]

..... here is the Stone of Unction. It is the 13th Station, where Jesus was taken down from the Cross, and is a stone which covers the rock upon which the body of Jesus rested.

[Octavius]

The Stone of Unction is the traditional place where Jesus' body, per Jewish custom, was prepared for burial. Tradition has it that this stone protects the actual stone where Jesus' body was prepared for burial by Joseph of Arimathea.

Shown here: unction

[Tatty Rollox]

Unction = anoint = application of oils. This was the preparation referred to above and is the reason why jars of oil are hung over the stone. Over the years there have been several slabs of prepared stone or marble in various configurations covering the rock.