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‘In the same way, after the supper, Jesus took the cup, saying: ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’
Luke 22 :20
It is said that the Holy Grail is the cup that Jesus used at the Last Supper and that, the next day, Joseph of Arimathea used to collect drops of blood from Jesus as he died on the cross. The Holy Grail is said to have mysterious and great power. It is the source of all goodness and divine love and favour.
If possessed by one with a good and noble heart, its power can be used to bring peace and love and, some claim, everlasting life.
King Arthur’s knights
According to legend, Joseph brought the cup to Britain, where it was at first lost and then found by King Arthur’s knights. According to the ancient text The Story of the Grail by Chretien de Troyes, Sir Percival saw the Grail at the magical castle of the Fisher King. Buried near Arthur, it is thought to lie deep in the spring at Glastonbury Tor.
That said, several churches today claim that they possess the Grail, including the St Mary of Valencia Cathedral, Rosslyn Chapel and Oak Island in Nova Scotia. Some say that there is a secret order of mysterious guardians, established by Joseph and including Sir Percival, who protect the Grail —a theme picked up on in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
But is there any truth in this legend? Certainly the Grail is referred to in the twelfth-century book Joseph d’Arimathe by Robert de Boron, who clearly identified it as the cup used by Christ at the Last Supper. He told of how the risen Christ visited Joseph and explained to him the mysterious power of the cup. There are also tales of the Virgin Mary appearing holding the Grail, out of which come tongues of fire, highlighting the power of God. The Grail is also shown in images of early Christian Holy Communion services.
Modern texts
In modern investigative writings more secrets of the Grail have been offered. In The Sign and the Seal, Graham Hancock suggests that the Grail legend is a coded description of the Ark of the Covenant — the box containing the Ten Commandments. In The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail, the authors argue that Jesus did not die but married Mary Magdalene, who is the origin of Jesus’ bloodline and therefore is, herself, the Holy Grail.
The Grail is popular in fiction too. In Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code the Grail is depicted not as a cup, but as the womb and then the earthly remains of Mary Magdalene, said to be Jesus’ wife. There was mention of ancient papers hinting that Jesus was not the Son of God, but an ordinary man who was a remarkable moral teacher. The Grail has also appeared in popular films, including Excalibur and Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
Does the Holy Grail still exist, ready to wield its power? What do you think?