The Grail Knight chosen for the Grail challenge must be of the most sincere integrity. Merlin reserved seat at Arthur’s table, known as the Siege Perilous, for the knight who would seek the Grail. In Christian de Troyes, Percival was to take that seat (Galahad in Thomas Mallory’s Le Morte D’Arthur).
The story of the Holy Grail was first written at the end of the 12th century by poet, Chretien de Troyes. Chretien’s patron was Mary of Champagne, the daughter of Louis VII and his queen Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Champagne Court loved music, poetry and entertainments. This story features a young knight, Percival, who stops for the night at an extraordinary castle. The owner is a disabled king. That evening, at dinner, a strange pageant takes place. Blood flows down the blade of a lance onto the hand of the man carrying it. Two boy servants follow him with a tray of candles. Then in walks a beautiful girl carrying a gold cup emblazoned with gems as another other girl follows her with a silver platter. A single communion wafer provides sustenance. Percival is told it is rude to ask questions! In the morning after the pageant, he learns that if he had asked questions, an important healing would have taken place.
Percival leaves the castle. He meets a woman who tells him her lover has been beheaded. She was at the castle of the wounded King. They exchange stories but she is perplexed why Percival didn’t ask about the strange pageant, the blood on the sword, the girl with the chalice, etcetera. Percival grieves that he did not ask because he was too polite! Some suggest the questions themselves are the Grail as they have capacity themselves to heal, or that a truly questing knight would ask questions, and arrive at the capacity to become a healer within himself. Maybe all healers are the equivalent of a holy grail, following the teachings of Jesus who was a Grail of wisdom teachings and healing abilities.
This story was composed for Philippe of Alsace, Count of Flanders who was the cousin of Henry II who later married to Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Knights Templar were said to be finders, purveyors and keepers of precious relics, and many suggest their capacity to have hidden all kinds of powerful objects. Eleanor was said to have been at Glastonbury Cathedral in 1191 when King Arthur and Guinevere’s body was found in the grounds. Many stories of the Grail followed this. In early thirteenth century, in Wolfram Von Eschebach’s story of the Grail, it is described as a magical stone guarded by the Knights Templar who werepledged to protect pilgrims safely on pilgrimages. The grail is said to bring eternal life. A small white wafer is brought by a dove each year and this is the most important aspect of this story, which is one that combines mystery with healing.
In the fifteenth century, John Hardyng introduced the idea of holy blood. Thomas Mallory wrote Morte D’Arthur in English, with stories of Grail knights of the Round Table. After several centuries, the Victorian poet Alfred Lord Tennyson wrote Idylls of the King. So what is this great and mystical treasure exposed by the extraordinary and magical vision of poetry? Was it fought for in personal or societal wars, and was everything risked to gain it? And why should this be?
Maybe it is easiest to ask what excites your passion, and what would you be prepared to die for? What is the question you would most like answered, and what obstacles prevent you from fully healing the pain of your life?
It has been suggested that the story of Joseph of Arimethea bringing the cup/s that held the blood and sweat of Jesus is highly unlikely, as body fluids would be considered a health hazard to a Jew of the first century. The utensils and crockery used by Jesus and the disciples on that last supper of the Passover in Jerusalem would have been the best they had, but it would have been nothing greater than others were using for that popular festival. What is more meaningful is to explore the story of the Last Supper when Jesus and his disciples were gathered to celebrate the Angel of Death passing over the Israelites when they were in captivity, and on an anniversary of this miracle, Jesus was betrayed by a kiss that led to his trials, tortures and death by crucifixion. The Grail is just an object, but its story as a vessel that held a liquid that Jesus converted into his blood, is the basis of Christian faith and still has the power to transform lives to this day.
Article by Wendy Stokes https://wendystokes.co.uk
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