Lenten Legend Holy Grail

FAST FORWARD MORE THAN 2000 YEARS LATER IN 2014: IS THIS THE REAL HOLY GRAIL?  A poor carpenter from Nazareth would never use this cup at the Last Supper.  This type of ornate golden cup is what we more see in grand European and local modern day churches. 

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THE LEGEND OF THE HOLY GRAIL

The Holy Grail is the name given the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper.  The first written story about the Holy Grail dates from the 1100's.  It was passed on by word of mouth.  One legend tells that Joseph of Arimathea used to catch the blood of Jesus when He hung on the cross.  Joseph later took the Holy Grail to England.  It was believed to have a healing power.

It disappeared for quite some time.  Then a vision of the Holy Grail was seen by a nun, a sister of one of the Knights of the Round Table.  It so inspired all of the knights they vowed to search for it.  Only three knights got to see the famous cup - Galahad, Percivale and Bors.

The Holy Grail has become the subject of so many poems - Alfred Lord Tennyson's "Holy Grail" and Sir Thomas Mallory's Le Morte Darthur among others.  In Wagner's opera, Amfortas succeeds his father Titurel as the leader of the knights of the Holy Grail.  Famous artists have painted pictures of Sir Galahad with the Holy Grail.  In the movie Indiana Jones, archeology professor Jones escaped damnation when he selected a plain wooden cup instead of the intricately designed golden cups in his quest of the Holy Grail.

Holy Grail to you, until the next legend.


First Published 4/11/2006 USTPMTBBAA MSN Groups
Web Page: Lenten Legend

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I saw my first robin this spring.  We've heard of why the robin had red breast. So, here's another Holy Week legend from Germany about a fish - - the Pike fish.

The Pike fish was horrified when they heard the news and were told a story about the terribly brutal crucifixion of Jesus.  As a reaction, the fish all dove to the bottom of the water to hide from the tragedy.  With the exception of one lone curious pike (a la finding nemo, another story).  The pike bravely swam to the top of the sea and looked out to see what was going on.  Just at that particular moment, Jesus breathed his last and died on the cross.  The skies turned dark and a scary flash of lightning hit the water, striking the pike. 
That is why today some say the head of a pike bears marks resembling the tools of the crucifixion - the cross, nails and sword.

Source: The Little Black Book 
Diocese of Saginaw, MI   http://www.littlebooks.org
Six-minute meditations on the Passion of Mark

Published 3/31/10 ust1611 multiply
Web Page: Lenten Legend