John 12:1-8
Then, six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus was who had been dead, whom He had raised from the dead. There they made Him a supper; and Martha served, but Lazarus was one of those who sat at the table with Him. Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil. But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. But Jesus said, “Let her alone; she has kept this for the day of My burial. For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”
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Below are some beautiful Icons of Our Lord having His head and feet anointed with fragrant oil. It is difficult to identify whether the below Icons are of Saint Mary of Bethany, or of the repentant woman, with Jesus, as they both had the Blessing to anoint His most pure Head and Feet.
Portions of Prayers from the Great Canon of Saint Andrew: As precious ointment, O Saviour, I empty on Your head the alabaster box of my tears. Like the Harlot, I cry out to You, seeking Your Mercy: I bring my Prayer and ask to receive forgiveness. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me. O wretched Soul, you have not acted like the Harlot, who took the alabaster box of precious ointment, and anointed with tears and wiped with her hair the feet of the Lord. And He tore in pieces the record of her previous sins. Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me.
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Luke 7:36-50
Now one of the Pharisees asked Him to eat with him, and He entered into the house of the Pharisee and reclined at the table. And behold, a woman in the town who was a sinner, when she learned that He was dining in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of perfumed oil, and standing behind Him at His feet weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears and was wiping them with the hair of her head and was kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfumed oil. Now when the Pharisee who invited him saw this, he spoke to himself, saying, “If this Man were a Prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he said, “Teacher, say it.” “There were two debtors who owed a certain creditor. One owed five hundred denarii and the other fifty. When they were not able to repay him, he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered and said, “I suppose that it is the one to whom he forgave more.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” And turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered into your house. You did not give Me water for My feet, but she wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give Me a kiss, but from the time I entered, she has not stopped kissing My feet. You did not anoint My head with olive oil, but she anointed My feet with perfumed oil. For this reason I tell you, her sins – which were many – have been forgiven, for she loved much. But the one to whom little is forgiven loves little.” And He said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” And those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say among themselves, “Who is this Who even forgives sins?” And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”
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