Chrismation by Nicolas Poussin

Confirmation is the Sacrament, in which, through the anointing of the world, the baptized communicate the powers of God’s grace to strengthen them in their spiritual life. It is performed by a priest or a hierarch through the anointing of the world of the forehead and other parts of the body, with the words “Seal the gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.” Confirmation is performed on a person only once in his life, usually after the Sacrament of Baptism.

The picture shows the Sacrament of Confirmation of the little children who were brought by the mother. For already one child, the priest smears his forehead with peace, and next to him a mother and a daughter kneeling are preparing for the Sacrament. One child persuades the priest that nothing bad will happen, everything will be fine. The picture conveys the mood of emotion, solemnity, a sense of belonging to the great event.