Is it the Holy Grail?

Waiapu Church Gazette, Volume XV, Issue 2, 1 August 1924, Page 430

Is it the Holy Grail?

MARVELS OF THE CHALICE OF ANTIOCH. Some : account has from time to time been given m the Press, mainly m America, of what has been named the Great Chalice of Antioch. This silver chalice of exquisite workmanship Avas discovered m 1910 by some Arabs m Antioch who, m the course of building, came upon underground chambers. Embedded m the debris they brought to light a quantity of silver treasure consisting of two chalices, book covers and two crosses, as well as a large number of fragments. The objects passed into the ownership of a number of persons, but were ultimately traced and acquired by Salim and Constantin Kouchakji, of the well-known firm of antiquaries, Kouchakji Freres. Of the two chalices one was of plain silver inscribed, and the other most richly and beautifully sculptured. Mr Fahim Kouchakji conceived it to be of unusual archaeological and artistic importance, and m New York, Avhither on the outbreak of war it had been removed from Paris for safety, he showed it to Dr. Gustavus A. Eisen, with a request that he would set forth its characteristics and probable date. This work Dr. Eisen.has now completed, and his conclusions are published m a monograph m two volumesissued at £35. Dr. Eisen spent several years m studying everything that was remotely or proximately likely to bear.uponthe history of the chalice, or provide clues to the proper understanding: of its value and importance. It is. impossible to deal faithfully with the great mass of evidence and the arguments which he brings forward to support his view that this chalice is a Christian relic of the first century, and embodies authentic and actual portraits of our Lbrd and seven of his Apostles made at a time when most of the personages represented were still alive. But if his conclusions be accepted, it is obvious thai . the chalice is a unique and pricelessrelic. 'It consists of two distinct parts,. now cemented together by Alfred .._ Andre (who cleaned it m Paris), for its better preservation. The one part is. an inner cup, crude, unfinished, of . poor workmanship, and without any . sort of decoration. The other is _. an. . outer holder or reliquary, magnificently decorated a jour as a. work of art,. The holder consists of an ovoid bowl, a compressed spherical nodus, supported by a very loav stem .and. nar-. row circular foot. From the plates which form Volume'

It. of : the iribribgraph " it His^evident' that: by whomsoever made, m whatever age, the chalice is a work of art of . supreme and unexcelled beauty. How conies it then, . that a poor and intrinsically valueless cup should be so enshrined? The great artist who spent years m designing and making the chalice' must have been fully awarie of the importance of the inner cup, whose crudeness was not only allowed to remain uncorrected but guarded Avith such care and m a receptacle of the very best which human art could procure. Dr. Eisen is convinced that the inner cup was reverenced as a personal relic of Christ and His Apostles, too sacred to be altered, perhaps even too precious to be used. It is not unnatural that he should incline to the belief that m this inner cup, now lying m a, strong room m New York, we have indeed the Holy Grail itself. According to the Arabs, local tradition designates the place where the treasure was found as the site of an ancient cathedral, and Dr. Eisen suggests that it Avas buried during the troublous times m the reign of Juliad the Apostate. Julian closed the basilica of Constantino m Antioch, deprived it of its wealth, and caused its treasurer, Theodoretus, to be tortured and beheaded for concealing some object of great importance. Space does not permit us even to summarise the reasons brought forward by Dr. Eisen for attributing the chalice to the first centuries, m spite of no parallel work of that period being known, or the ingenious deductions by which he places its exact date as between A.D. 60 and A.D. 70. It is obvious, however, that the identification of the portraits and their value stand or fall by the accuracy of his conclusions. The chief decoration of the chalice is a broad band covering nearly three-quarters of the cup and containing twelve human figures bordered and held together by meandering grape-vines, the whole enriched by animals, birds, and symbolic objects. Above this field is a band of rosettes and below it is • a tiny bead band. The bottom of the bowl terminates m an open * lotus-flower. The human figures are seated, and divided into two rows, m the centre of each group being a figure which Dr. Eisen has identified as that of our Lord. Ac-, cepting", then, his identification, we have on- the front upper row Christ enthroned after the Resurrection. He is shown m front view; His Head slightly inclined to the left but with gaze directed straight forward.. The face, says Dr. Eisen (and the pictures completely bear him out), is remark-' ably individual, with a penetrating gaze, a mouth with a sweet expression, an almost celestial smile, teriipered by serious thpughtfulness.

The 'mouth;* he adds, is so unusual arid so exactly like the other portrait showing our Lord m youth, that it carries the conviction that it must have been a: characteristic of His' human personality. "It is a wonderful face, such as no artist has ever been able to create from. : imagination."' There are no emblems or symbols on the figure, but over the head soars the Holy Ghost m the form of a dove, at the right hand is a plate- with loaves and fishes, beloAv which stands a lamb with the head turned toAvards Him. Below the figure is a large eagle, symbolising the Roman Empire, arid a basket of bread. Above the head of- Christ, unobtrusively crowded into the rosette band, is the star of the Nativity. On the right side of the figure of Christ is St. Peter. "His face," says Dr; Eisen, "is one of : the most remarkable pieces of portrait sculpture m existence. It is without doubt' a true and accurate portrait, rustic, powerful, unyielding, but Avith a not unsympathetic expression;" The figure of St. Paul, opposite that of St. : Peter, shows an imposing man, calm and dignified, the chin short, rounded and rather small, the ear thick," high, and narrow, and the nose straight; the downAvard curve of the mouth gives the face an austere but- noble expression. St. Jude is shown as a dignified man of careful habits and beautiful features, apparently one Avho never suffered any of the hardships of life. St. James has a face more full- of serenity, sweetness, and calm than any of the other Apostles. Behind St. Paul- sits St. Andrew^ apparently some years the senior of St. Peter his brother, whose rustic character he shares, though he is more dignified, less severe, and also less forceful. On the other side of the ehaliee, Christ as a youth, holding the scroll of the New Law, is the centre. On His right is St. Luke, whose features are those of an old man of a decidedly Greek type. The head is almost square, covered with long, thick, wavy hair and a beard, but without a neck-curl. Over the hair passes a Greek headband. The features are classic, and the expression is serious and contemplative. . Below Him is St. Mark-, a man of .full face, with high and proininent cheeks, a nose conspicuously short and creased, and generally heavy features. He has the development of figure and enormous .arms and legs Avhich answer to the tradition that m his- youth St. Mark was a watercarrier. Facing St. Mark is a dignified, stately man of JeAvish type. He is St. MattheAv. The most notable features are the small mouth and thin short upper lip. On his right arm is a phylactery. .St. John the -Divine sits m the upiDer row on the left of Christ. His face is unfortunately

damaged by time, but enough remains to indicate a man with a mystic, sweet, and youthful face and slender body, full of -vivacity and elasticity, as the position of the limbs indicates. His brother, St. James, on .his right, is also a beautiful; youthful, figure, smooth of face and without a beard. The chalice stands seven arid arhalf inches high. In feeling and execution it is Greek,' but its symbolism is en- ; tirely ; derived from the Bible. By Avhomever it Avas executed, there is. no doubt m Dr. Eisen 's mind that m him was combined the spiritual power of interpreting Christianity and a classic sense of beauty. Its many qualities of ;.. design, truthfulness, dynamic symmetry, technical skill, and linequality are all treated at great length m this monograph, but the author iiever. loses sight of the fact that, it is. its religious value that is of overwhelming importance. •' 'Now, " says. Dr. Eisen m one of his chapters, "for the 'first time since the final dis-. appearance of the chalice amid the debris of" the ancient church can the cravings of every Christian to gaze upon the actual features of his Lord be satisfied." Later he adds: "Noone with appreciation and judgment can fail to recognise that thus the Evangelists and Apostles Avould have appeared m life--enthusiastic, intelligent, devout, imbued with life> wisdom, and energy, talented, serious, and full of character, but above all else human." Most readers, however, who are fortunate enough to see this book will agree with Dr. Eisen that the most fascinating point of all with regard to the discovery is the belief that the chalice enshrines a most sacred cup. "In all probability the . one that served the Lord and His Disciples at the Last Supper, the most precious object m Christian history^ legend and tradition. ' '— ' ' Church Times."