The Holy Grail - Fact or Fiction

This has generated a considerable number of fantastic stories about knights, monks and kings embarking on a quest to find it. (Including Monty Python's version!) But it seems highly unlikely to me that some of the gold or silver jewelled goblets that claim to be the grail would ever have been in the hands of fishermen and carpenters!

One scholar, Janice Bennett, author of "St. Laurence and the Holy Grail" (published by Ignatius), believes that the cup's history can be traced from St. Peter's journey to Rome, to St. Laurence in the third century, and then to its final resting place in Spain.

Bennett has a master's in Spanish literature from the University of Colorado, and a certificate in Advanced Bible Studies from the Catholic Biblical School in Denver. She believes that the Holy Chalice of Valencia is the same cup used by Jesus himself at the Last Supper. As such, it has been held in high esteem as an historically authentic relic.

Valencia The Holy Chalice of Valencia has a long tradition and fascinating history to support its claim of authenticity. Some believe that the Cenacle -- the room where the Last Supper took place -- and the Holy Cup was the property of the family of Mark the Evangelist, who served as interpreter for Peter in Rome.

Mark and Peter were very close, and it makes sense that Mark would have given the Cup to Peter, because it was important for the early Christians to use relics in the liturgy and that Peter was head of the Church. Spanish tradition claims that Peter took the Holy Cup with him to Rome, where it was passed on to his successors until the Valerian persecution of 258. Of course with no documentary evidence much of the story is based on guesswork.

Pope Sixtus

The story continues that due to the danger of the relic falling into the hands of the Romans, Pope Sixtus II, knowing that he would soon be martyred, entrusted the cup to his treasurer and deacon, Laurence. St. Laurence in turn gave it to a Spanish soldier with the request to take it to Huesca, Spain, where he knew that his family would care for it.

By the 16th century there were about 20 cups that claimed to be the authentic cup used by Jesus at the Last Supper. But today none of these are considered authentic but Bennet tries to make a case for the Holy Chalice of Valencia and the silver cup of Antioch.

Antioch The cup of Antioch has a two-litre capacity and is too large to have been passed around the table of the Last Supper for the wine. What is interesting, however, is the fact that Jerome mentions that there were two cups on the table of the Last Supper, a silver cup that held the wine for the meal, and one of stone that was used for the institution of the Eucharist. Only the Holy Chalice of Valencia, with its upper cup of agate stone, fits Jerome's description of the cup used by Christ. It is the custom to have several cups for a Jewish passover meal.

Joseph of Arimethea One serious rival to the St. Laurence tradition, at least in popular opinion, is the legend that Joseph of Arimathea brought the Holy Grail to England. It is based on the poem "Joseph of Arimathea" by the poet Robert de Boron, who confirms the apocryphal legend of Nicodemus, adding that Joseph brought the Grail to Glastonbury, thus joining Christianity to the bones of the legendary King Arthur that are supposedly buried there. The grail is linked in legends to the Arthurian stories.

Many people believe the Holy Grail should matter to modern Christians for the very same reason it has always been venerated, as the actual cup used by Christ to institute the first holy communion. It is a direct reminder of the importance of this sacrament in the life of the Church, and this is show its supporters claim by the care the goblet has received. The Church in Spain went to great lengths to protect the vessel from the Muslim invasion in the eighth century, and years later we see the same respect and courage in those who saved the cup from destruction during Spain's War of Independence and Civil War.

Perhaps though I would want to ask does it matter at all? As Umberto Eco remarks rhetorically in “Foucault's Pendulam” why some, having the Eucharist, search always for "something else".