During the Middle Ages olive oil became very rare and valuable, so much so as to be sometimes considered cash. In fact, starting in the 5th century, state control over olive oil started to decrease, until it almost disappeared.
Religious orders owned the greatest share of the olive trees still cultivated, and oil could only be found at the tables of rich people, but, above all, churchmen.
In monasteries the food supply attendants, in charge of the stores, gave oil to everyone each day to season their food, with neither extravagance nor avarice. |
If a convent was left without oil, a miracle might have been necessary to obtain some: in Saint Clare's biography we read that one day "the sisters were completely out of oil, to such an extent that there was none left even to season the food of the ailing nuns". Saint Clare took a vase and put it on a wall; when later she fetched it, she found it full of oil!
During the Middle Ages olive oil was not chiefly employed for nourishment, but for the liturgy. The Holy Oils and the Chrism required to administer the Sacraments, were consecrated during the "Mass of the Chrism", presided over by the Bishop on Holy Thursday. The consecrated oil was distributed to churches: it was supposed to last the whole year, and only the Bishop was authorized to distribute it.
Even lamps burning on the altars before the Blessed Sacrament could only be fueled by olive oil, in accordance with the Scriptures.
Silver lamp of the Blessed Sacrament - Genoa,
1824/183O 
The photograph shows a silver sanctuary lamp , with the stamp of Maestro Gerolamo Gervasio.
This altar lamp could only be fueled by olive oil until the Vatican II Council determined otherwise.
Regulations for sanctuary lamps (996)
"You must buy the oil necessary for illuminating the Cross, where the painted visage of Our Lord Jesus Christ is worshipped; and every year you must buy enough for a lamp to burn all night, every night."
Codex Diplomaticus Longobardiae, N.DCCCCIV, cc. 1593-1594
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