The Holy Grail: A Legend or A Hidden Chalice?

What is the Holy Grail?

    The Holy Grail is considered a religious relic of Christianity that gained its popularity in the Middle Ages; it eventually lost its glamour in the 19th century, but it is still used in popular culture references and sought after by religious extremists today (1). It has been presented in many forms, including a chalice; a ciborium, similar to a chalice but with a round bowl as opposed to a tall bowl (2); a cauldron (3); a dish; a platter; a goblet; a stone; and in Dan Steven's novel, The Da Vinci Code, Mary Magdalene's womb. Many believe that it is a chalice that Jesus Christ drank from during the Last Supper and was used to collect his blood during the crucifixion. The Grail is said to have the power to heal all wounds, grant everlasting happiness (4), possess the elixir of external life, provide a spiritual or mystical experience, or award longevity with the stone (1); it is unknown whether all gifts are bestowed on the finder since many sources do not have aligned data. 

Origins of the Grail

Based on the story Perceval, a young girl and
boy present the Holy Grail and a spear that
magically bleeds from the tip (5)

    The origin of the Holy Grail is most commonly traced back to Christianity, but the Grail is not considered a Christian object due to its Celtic mythology roots. There are no Bible verses that explicitly mention the Grail, but there are a few verses that indicate its origins, including the Last Supper (Luke 20:22) and Jesus' blood being collected while on the cross (Mark 15:23) (1). When looking at Celtic mythology, most legends were told before being connected to Christianity and often refer to a cauldron instead of a cup or a chalice (3). Other legends claim that the Grail was made from an emerald that fell from Lucifer's crown when he rebelled against God as an angel (6). During the time of Arthurian stories, Christianity was the accepted religion throughout Europe, so the stories of the cauldrons became intertwined with Jesus Christ and the Holy Chalice (3). Many writings of the time dealt with a quest searching for the magical relic, the Holy Grail, and one of the most widely known being King Arthur's legend. In this tale, only Galahad saw the Grail and understood its holiness, which would kill him shortly after, while in others, Perceval saw the Grail but did not understand what he witnessed, and Lancelot's sin of loving Queen Guinevere kept him from finding the Grail (6). It was first seen in the Renaissance Era in Chrétien de Troyes' romance Perceval which was written in the early 12th century; the story being represented in the image above. Then, it was seen in Robert de Boron's poem published around 1200, followed by King Arthur's story written in the mid-13th century and others (7).

Finding the Grail

The Chalice of Doña Urraca which
was claimed to be the legendary
Holy Grail in 2014, decorated with
pearls and jewels and a gem that
resembles Ferdinand I (9)

    There are many different theories supporting the hidden location of the Holy Grail. Those who believe in the legends of the Grail think that it could be hidden in England where the water runs red as it passes through the Grail and Jesus Christ's blood . Others believe that during the Crusades, it may have been taken by the Knights Templar and hidden to keep it safe from those who wished to abuse it. There was a recent discovery made in a church in northern Spain in León by two Spanish historians in March of 2014. After three years of research dedicated to finding the Holy Grail, the historians are said to have discovered its hiding place since the 11th century. The chalice was carbon dated, according to the historians at history.com, and said to be made between 200 BC and 100 AD, fitting the description of the Grail (4). The authors of Medieval Histories say that it is not possible for the chalice to have been carbon dated, but once it was studied, the two cups proved to be made during the 1st century (from 1 AD-100 AD). Ferdinand I received the cup or cups during his reign from 1015-1065 and eventually his daughter, Urraca, gave the cups to the palace church in León and mounted them there (8). This chalice may appear to be the Holy Grail, but there are many cups around the world that could arguably be the "one and only" Grail (4).

The Grail Today

    As previously mentioned, the Holy Grail is used in popular culture. This has become less widespread as movies, tv series, and books are moving in other directions with time, but there are still well-known movies and books from the past that highlight the search for the Grail; some of these are Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), Excalibur (1981), Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), The Fisher King (1991), both the book (2003) and movie (2006) The Da Vinci Code, and others (4). Each film has its own image of the Grail, some that are more simple like in Indiana Jones (pictured below) and some more extravagant.

The Holy Grail seen in Indiana Jones and The Last
Crusade (1989) (10)

    

    Who knows, the Grail may be a legend, or it may be truly hidden somewhere in the depths of Europe. Hopefully, we will see the end to this mystery, determining the question we are all asking: The Holy Grail: A Legend or A Hidden Chalice?

Works Cited

(1) Bolinger, Hope. "What is the Holy Grail? Is it in the Bible and Does it Really Exist?" Christianity, 

    29 June 2023, www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-the-holy-grail.html. Accessed 5 

    Sept. 2023.

(2) Morrisroe, Patrick. "Ciborium." The Catholic Encyclopedia, vol. 3. New York: Robert Appleton

    Company, 1908, www.newadvent.org/cathen/03767a.htm#:~:text=In%20shape%20the%

    20ciborium%20resembles,or%20some%20other%20appropriate%20device. Accessed 8 Sept.

    2023.

(3) Colcombe Gary & Ruth. "The Evolution of the Cauldron into a Grail in Celtic Mythology." 

    Medium, 24 July 2023, medium.com/i-m-h-o/the-evolution-of-the-cauldron-into-a-grail-in-celtic-

    mythology-a96a41604e9f. Accessed 8 Sept. 2023.

(4) History.com Editors. "Holy Grail." History. 2017. A&E Television Networks, 2019,

     www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/holy-grail. Accessed 2 Sept. 2023.

(5) Barber, Richard. "The Legend of the Holy Grail Gallery." BBC, 17 Feb. 2011,

     www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/hg_gallery_01.shtml. Accessed 13 Sept. 2023.

(6) Myths Encyclopedia. "Holy Grail." Myths and Legends. Advameg, 2023,

     www.mythencyclopedia.com/Ho-Iv/Holy-Grail.html. Accessed 8 Sept. 2023.

(7) Synan, Mariel. "What is the Holy Grail?" History. 2013. A&E Television Networks, 2023, 

     www.history.com/news/what-is-the-holy-grail. Accessed 2 Sept. 2023.

(8) Medieval Histories. "The Holy Grail." 4 July 2014, www.medieval.eu/holy-grail/. Accessed 10

    Sept. 2023.

(9) Medieval Histories. "Chalice of Doña Urraca." 4 July 2014, www.medieval.eu/chalice-dona-

     urraca/. Accessed 10 Sept. 2023.

(10) Mauro, J-P. "Choose Wisely: Holy Grail Prop from Indiana Jones Sold for $50,000." Aleteia, 

    28 Nov. 2022. aleteia.org/2022/11/28/choose-wisely-holy-grail-prop-from-indiana-jones-is-up-for-

    auction/. Accessed on 8 Sept. 2023.