The Holy Grail remains the most sought after Christian relic in the world. In fact, there are even those who offer millionaire rewards to whoever is able to find it. Currently there are some 200 European relics that compete to be recognized as the famous Holy Grail, made so popular by Indiana Jones.
Does the Holy Grail exist?
The reality is that the Holy Grail is the chalice that Jesus Christ used during the last supper or at least this is what is narrated in the different writings about it. It should be noted that in the Bible there is no mention of the Holy Grail as such. The first time that the famous cup of Jesus Christ was written about was in Perceval or the Tale of the Grail, written by Chrétien de Troyes in 1176. In this work, the Grail was a magical rock with unprecedented properties. It was Robert de Boron who first wrote about the Grail, relating it to the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
These writings of the French poet are what allowed the famous Grail to be related to the mention of the chalice of Christ that Saint Matthew makes in the New Testament. From King Arthur to Indiana Jones, the Holy Grail has become the most sought after relic in the world.
The Holy Chalice of Valencia
Of all the relics that are postulated as possible winners in the fight to be the original Holy Grail, there is one that stands out above the rest. It is the Holy Chalice that rests in the chapel of the Holy Chalice of the Cathedral of Valencia. On sight, the Valencia chalice is a cup with details of gold, pearls and emeralds and rubies. Something that does not marry too much with the idea of the cup that a carpenter would use.
The reality is that all these details were added over time, since the real relic is a simple cup carved from agate. One of the most important doubts that would have to be resolved in order to believe that the Valencia chalice is really the Chalice of Christ is how the relic got to Valencia, from Jerusalem, the place where, according to the writings, the Last Supper took place.
As with the rest of the relics that are postulated as the Holy Grail, the story behind this chalice is intricate. According to legend, the chalice left Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago. It was Saint Peter, the first Pope, who took the relic to Rome, with the aim of protecting it and using it for the Eucharist. In the third century, the emperor Valerian began a tireless persecution of Christians and the chalice was sent to Huesca.
From Huesca, the relic traveled to other parts of Spain due to the fear of looting at the time. However, the first reliable record of the Spanish chalice dates from the year 1399 when it became part of the royal relics of King Martin of Aragon. In 1416, after the arrival to the throne of Alfonso the Magnanimous, the Holy Chalice was delivered to the Cathedral of Valencia, as payment of a debt.
The Holy Chalice of the Cathedral of Valencia competes with the Sacred Patino, located in the Cathedral of Genoa
The wars caused the chalice to travel to and from Valencia a few times. But, since 1939, this famous relic has had its place in the Valencian cathedral.
The history of the Holy Chalice of Valencia is one of many, but what makes this cup a possible Holy Grail is its design details and craftsmanship. The archaeologist Antonio Beltrán assured in 1960 that the chalice would have its origin between the 2nd century BC and the 1st century AD In addition, after analyzing it, he warns that the cup would have been carved in a workshop in the Middle East. These data make the chalice perfectly fit both the time and the geographical area of the long-awaited Holy Grail.
The Holy Chalice of the Cathedral of Valencia competes with the Sacred Patino, located in the Cathedral of Genoa, which for many years was considered the true Holy Grail. Although some voices claim that the Genoa chalice is nothing more than a copy of the original.
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