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The Holy Grail

To many people the Holy Grail is only a religious myth, the romantic object that King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table searched for, a symbol of all that was pure. To others the Holy Grail is as factual as the Cross itself -- although it has never, in fact, had any historical substance or form.

It is supposed to be the chalice from which Christ drank during the Last Supper -- and on which the Mass is based. It was said that it also used to catch His blood as He hung on the cross.

A less popular version of what the Holy Grail represents is that it was the shallow dish -- a wooden platter -- on which the bread of the Last Supper was broken and served.

King Arthur -- whose magical city Camelot is supposed to be in Somerset, not far from Glastonbury -- always declared that the Holy Grail was a rare jewelled goblet, but this is most unlikely if it is indeed one of the objects used by Christ, who had nothing rich or exotic in His whole life. It is possible, of course, that the original wooden object was coated in pure gold later, as was done by some Catholic churches to holy relics.

Legend is frequently based on fact, even if the Holy Grail is made of wood and not of precious metal, the Grail would still be beyond price and unique.
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