Holy Grail

"Grail" redirects here. For other uses, see Grail (disambiguation)

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In Christian mythology, the Holy Grail was the dish, plate, cup or vessel used by Jesus at the Last Supper, said to possess miraculous powers. According to legend, Joseph of Arimathea used the Grail to catch Christ's blood while interring Him and then took the object to Britain where he founded a line of guardians to keep it safe. The quest for the Holy Grail makes up an important segment of the Arthurian cycle. The legend may be a combination of genuine Christian lore with a Celtic myth of a cauldron endowed with special powers.

Related Topics:
Christian mythology - Dish - Plate - Cup - Jesus - Last Supper - Joseph of Arimathea - Christ's - Britain - Arthurian - Christian lore - Celtic myth - Cauldron

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The development of the Grail legend has been traced in detail by cultural historians: it's a gothic legend, which first came together in the form of written romances, deriving perhaps from some pre-Christian folklore hints, in the later 12th and early 13th centuries. The early Grail romances centred on Percival and were woven into the more general Arthurian fabric. The Grail romances started in France and were translated into other European vernaculars; only a handful of non-French romances added any essential new elements.

Related Topics:
Gothic - 12th - 13th - Percival

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Some of the Grail legend is interwoven with legends of the Holy Chalice.

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