Graal

The Graal indicates a broad and rather deep dish. It indicates also the Saint Chalice in the Légende S Médiévale S of Christian inspiration. However, this “Graal” is not mentioned in the New Testament.

Graal appears for the first time at the 12th century, in texts inspired by a document Apocryphe, the Évangile of Nicodème, written in Greek at the 4th century. In this literature, Graal is a symbolic system object: it represents the mystery Christianisme, whose research would lead to a personal Révélation of the Lumière of Christ. Since, Graal was the subject of many interpretations symbolic systems or esoteric and gave place to multiple artistic illustrations.

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Etymology

In the beginning the word “Graal” indicates a broad and rather deep dish, a hollow container. A supposed origin is that the word “Graal” would come from medieval Latin cratella , “vase” which indicates, in Former French, a hollow cut or dish. For others, the word “graal” or “grasal” indicates a hollow dish intended to serve the meats rich in juice. Mario Roques discovered more than one about fifty forms, all exits of Latin gradalis in the local speeches of the country of oil, like greal, greau, hulled grain, griau, grial, grélot, graduc, guerlaud , etc the Languedoc preserved grasal or grésal , which by métathèse became of gradal the word gardale in South-west. All these words indicate a hollow container with the various uses. The word gradal was used with this direction in 1150 as Michel Roquebert shows it. The word graal is also found with this direction in 1204.

Graal in the medieval literature

More especially, the Graal is, in the medieval tradition Christian, posterior with Chrétien of Troyes, a mysterious cut with the magic capacities, and the object of a search carried out by the Chevaliers of the Roundtable. The first written mention is given at the end of the 12th century by the novelist Chrétien of Troyes in its novel Perceval or the Tale of Graal. Christian of Troyes died before to have been able to finish this work which had ordered to him the Count de Flandres Philippe of Alsace. Several authors took again and continued the history of Perceval and Graal, which ends up giving a whole of more than fifty thousand worms. The first continuation was allotted to some Wauchier de Denain, come then those from Gauvain, Manessier, Gerbert (probably of Montreuil). Actually, the name of the continuators is unknown, one gave them a name by convenience. Robert de Boron wrote on the same topic “ Joseph or Estoire dou Graal ”, then appeared in free-Picardy “Perlesvaus or High book of Graal” and finally the “ Parzival ” of Wolfram von Eschenbach. It should be noted that curiously and rather suddenly towards 1230 the topic of Graal will not give any more place to new literary developments. For Michel Roquebert, all the developments around the search of Graal coincide with the crusade against Cathares of the Languedoc, and constitute kind an ideological machine of war. August 1st

The nature of Graal

The nature of this legendary object knew many evolutions: hone, cut, etc Its form of cut would initially result from an evolution of the figure of the cauldron of the Dagda of the Celtic Mythologie. This cauldron, full with ebullient blood, was used to preserve the “avenger Lance”, a weapon able to devastate with it only whole armies. It is only at the beginning of the 13th century that the container evoked by Chrétien of Troyes is christianized: Robert de Boron compares it to the Saint Chalice Évangiles (cut used by Christ at the time of the Cène), thus giving rise to the “Graal Saint”. Anchored in the popular culture, Graal will inspire plethora of works. The avenger lance, it so christianized, became the Lance of Longin, the soldier who bored the side of Christ.

A enigma symbolic system

Graal, that some regard as a Avatar christianized cauldron of the Dagda - ancient talisman of the Celtic Mythologie - appears for the first time under literary form in Perceval or the Tale of Graal of Chrétien of Troyes (12th century). Perceval, in the castle of the King Pêcheur (“King Méhaignié”) sees a servant holding a black lance with one blood drops which beaded of its iron point, two other young men holding of the candlesticks of fine gold encrusted with Nielle S, a beautiful young lady holding a graal (which spread such a clearness that the candles faded their of it), of very pure fine gold enchased by red rubies blood (To read a translation in modern French of the passage relating to the procession of Graal). Perceval fails the test of Graal since it keeps silence in front of this appearance, instead of asking why the lance bleeds and with which one brings this container (see text in Former French, below).

No significance of this enigma symbolic system is advanced by Chrétien of Troyes. Its continuators will interpret each one with their way, by generally attaching this container to crowned Christian.

In this tale, when Perceval goes to the castle fishing King: a servant of a room came, which white a lance held… the white lance and tinplate, assoit a gote from blood … I. graal cave its .ii hands a dameisele tenoit… . Perceval reports then this episode at the court of the King Arthur: Chiés King Pescheor went, if veïs the lance which healthy , and if you fu at the time if grant painne to ovrir your boche and of speaking that you pea to ask por coi that gote sanc jump by point LED tinplate! And the graal that you veïs, did not ask to anqueïs for which rich person home the year year servoit. , then in a hermit: Lord, shit King Pescheor fled a foiz, and the VI operational lance gift Li irons sanz dotance, and LED graal that Ge I VI Ge sai cui the year been useful year.

A continuation of the text, the short Drafting the pseudoone of Denain, explains why Graal gives to each one foods which it wishes, and associates it with the Sainte Lance which bored the side of the Christ on the cross ( of which Li fius Diu fu voirement set very among costé the ). For Wolfram von Eschenbach, like it presents it in its Parzival , Graal is a stone whose name is not translated: “Lapsit Exillis”. Certain authors wanted to translate it by “Exilis Lapis lazuli” or “Lapis lazuli Ex Coelis”. Lapis lazuli exilis, lapis lazuli ex coelis, emerald fallen, according to the legend, of the face of Lucifer, which, dug in vase, collected the blood of Christ running out of the five wounds.

Lastly, it is Robert de Boron, at the beginning of the 13th century, which explains in the estoire dou Graal that Graal is not other than the Saint Chalice, i.e. the cut with which Jesus-Christ celebrated the Cène and in which was then collected its blood, crosses evoked, without him to give name, in many writings apocryphal book S the such Gesta Pilati or the Pseudo- Évangile of Nicodème .

Carried out of remote grounds (even on the island of Brittany) by Joseph d' Arimathée, the “Graal Saint” (Graal as a Holy Chalice) becomes the center of a mystery (because the object initially is hidden then lost) to which certain elected officials take part around a roundtable - from where integration in the accounts of the Roundtable. This christianization of the legend of Graal is completed by the Queste LED Holy Grail , Romance anonymity written towards 1220, probably by a monk, who makes of Graal the divine Grace. Indeed according to the legend, that which drinks in this cut reaches the eternal Vie.

Legends around Joseph d' Arimathie

Robert de Boron wrote in worms, a Légende of Graal putting in scene Joseph d' Arimathée (partly inspired by a text Apocryphe of the 4th century, the Évangile according to Nicodème), and which inspired by others Légende S (the development of the writing in Prose allowed the development of the writing of these legends). According to some of these legends, a Juif (or a man of Pontius Pilate) would have concealed the Saint Chalice with the Cénacle then would have given it to Pontius Pilate. Certain legends even add that Pilate would have drawn there the water with which it washed the hands. (Quotation of Robert de Boron:
Ones Juis the veissel found
shit Symon, prist and kept it,
because Jhesus fu of ilec carry out
and in front of Pilate deliver. ) In all these legends, Joseph d' Arimathée collects in the Saint Chalice (that Pontius Pilate gave to him or that it went to seek with the Coterie), some drops of the emanating blood of the wound made at the coasts of Jesus by a blow of lance (the Gospels speak well about this wound; the Évangile of Nicodème gives the name of the soldier who inflicted the blow of lance: Longin. The fact that Joseph d' Arimathée collected the blood of Christ is only described in the legends.

There also exists of other legends which differ from this one:

  • According to the legends of the Holy Blood, which one finds one supposed Relique with the Abbaye of the Trinity of Fécamp, the Sang of Christ was collected by Nicodème in a glove which he entrusted to a close relation.
  • In other legends still, the blood of Christ was collected using the Sainte Sponge).
Joseph d' Arimathée is then captured and put at the dungeon (generally, the evening even (Good Friday), around the tenth hour, the Évangile according to Nicodème indeed reveals this episode, that known as certain versions of the legend locate its arrest afterwards three days, when one realizes that the Christ disappeared from the tomb. It is told that Jesus appeared with Joseph d' Arimathée (Friday evening at midnight, specify the Évangile according to Nicodème like certain legends). In certain legends, Jesus gives the Saint Chalice to him (either it returns again it to him, or it gives it to him for the first time). While, in the Gospel according to Nicodème, Jesus “téléporte” Joseph d' Arimathée at his place of requiring of him not to move from there during forty days, in the legend it remains locked up in its dungeon, during thirty to forty years (in certain legends, a Colombe comes to deposit the every day a Galette in the cut). The legend generally comes to be attached to another legend, that of the Maladie of the Roman Emperor Vespasien. A pilgrim (in certain legends, it is about the angel Gabriel disguised thus), tells with Vespasien that he saw in Judaea a Prophète having achieved many Miracle S. Although this prophet, Jesus, died, Vespasien can be cured if he touches something having belonged to him of alive sound. He sends his men in the search of such an object with Jerusalem. Sainte Veronique learns it (or is prevented by Gabriel) and goes to Vespasien to bring its veil to him. In the legend of Joseph de Boron, Joseph d' Arimathée transmits the Saint Chalice to his brother-in-law (Hebron, or Bron), husband of his sister (Enygeus), who transmits it to her turn with her son, Alain, who transports it to the Vaux of Avaron, an unknown place that some interpret as being the island of Avalon, itself identified with Glastonbury. (Quotation of Robert de Boron:
has its veissel and if took it,
And lau Li without couloit put it,
That opinion Li fu that mieuz seroient
taste Them ki dedenz cherroient

That are vaus of Avaron will go from there
And in this feed will demourra

Enygeus by not the apeloit;
And SEN serourge by right not,
As vouloit, apeloit Hebron ) However, in other legends, Joseph d' Arimathée transmits the Saint Chalice to his own son, Josephé (Josephus).

The various interpretations given to Graal

Graal and alchemists

The work of the Alchimiste Fulcanelli the Mystery of the Cathedrals gives of Graal an interpretation Initiatique. Comprehension is extended to the only condition of having received a Initiation Maçonnique in the rules of Article initiations have for goal to awake hidden Symbole S which are transmitted in a very particular way and often by the pain. Graal exists but in lived of the initiate it is something of so particular and appalling which one cannot express it. Not in the direction of the fear of any punishment but the man is in contact with him even. It knows what it is and what it was. Any attempt at explanation is vain; the more it tries to explain, the more it is misunderstood at the point to feel vis-a-vis judges.

Graal and sciences

The Quête of Graal has also a modern direction much more concrete: it describes a not easily realizable objective, but which will bring to the world new knowledge or will allow an original application on the matter. Thus, in Physical, one qualifies the theory of great unification (Theory of the whole) of “Graal of the physicists”. Still, the comprehension of the mechanism by which the Gène S control the aspect of the bodies would be the “Graal of the geneticists”.

Graal, symbolic system object

Graal is a mysterious object:
  • It is a hidden object: nobody saw it and it will have really achieved its role only after being found.
  • It is an object Sacré with the powerful capacities: only a pure being will be able to find it and take possession of it.
  • According to some Legend S, its discovery announces the end of time Adventurous.

However, all the knights seek it, and the world will have Paix only after its discovery, but, paradoxically, it is with that which did not seek it that it will be given to find it, according to Wolfram. One can thus give several interpretations to the search of the knights:

  • energy spent and the tests met make grow or reveal qualities of the Chevaliers of the Roundtable, possibly enable them to acquire news of them. It is thus of a initiatory Quête and about personal Révélation.
  • the search for an object crowned like drank in the life, and even with the risk of its life, shows that the finality can be more important than its clean Existence: Christian vision of the terrestrial life, lived like a passage before a better world.
  • the Graal Saint deposited by a knight in the center of the Roundtable, meeting place of powerful of the kingdom, marks symbolically the introduction of the Christianisme thanks to the to be able S Temporel S (policies or soldiers). It shows also the Primauté religieu X on the Temporel, since it justifies the efforts made by the knights.
  • old the Celtic civilization Druidique then average ageuse pagan chaotic made magic, of Sorcery and Superstition finishes to leave room to the Christian civilization (humanistic).

Graal and its esoteric interpretation

The Secte S benefit from the fascination caused by the mystery of Graal. The magic aspect and symbolic system of Graal support esoteric interpretation (see the Pléthore forum S on Internet currently devoted to Graal and its interpretation " véritable").

The Parliamentary commission on the sects in France in particular identified in 1995 the “Mouvement of Graal in France” (500 to 2000 Adepte S according to the General informations) and “the Order of burning Graal” (50 to 500 followers).

Allegorical interpretations

In the Years 1980, Henry Lincoln, Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh give an interpretation very personal Allégorique of Graal in their Essai the crowned Enigma . According to them, Graal would be a Métaphore to indicate a hidden descent which Jesus would have had, because of one supposed union with Marie-madeleine. Holy Grail would be in fact a deformation of Sangréal meaning “royal blood”, in the direction of “royal line”. It could be also, by Métonymie, Marie-madeleine itself in her capacity as “carrying” this descent (the function of Graal “to collect the blood of Christ” being in that supposed to raise a statute of Métaphore).
This interpretation will be in particular taken again by Lynn Picknett and Clive Prince for their work published in 1997 under the title of the Revelation of Templiers , and by Dan Brown in her Romance Da Vinci Code where it leaves a homage hidden to Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh through the character to sir Leigh Teabing , Leigh being the name of the one and Teabing , a Anagramme of Baigent .

Another interpretation was proposed by Jean Markale but is discussed: for him the medieval term Sangréal can be read “San gréal” (holy Graal, usual reading) but also “Blood réal” (royal blood), which would establish a bond with the Dynastie of the king Pellès).

Artistic/media adaptations modern of Graal

  • 2003 : Da Vinci Code of Dan Brown (Romance) whose heroes seek to bore the secrecy of Graal, in England and in Paris, and who takes again the interpretation of the crowned Enigma : Graal would be a Métaphore to indicate Marie-madeleine, which would have been the woman of Jesus and the mother of his descent.

  • 2004 : Bernard Cornwell: the Search of Graal (Romance)
  • 2004: Fate/stay night of TYPE-MOON (video game) - Seven magicians deliver a war to with dimensions of their guard in order to obtaining the Graal Saint who will allow to carry out their wish expensive.
  • 2006 : Da Vinci Code of Ron Howard (film) drawn from the preceding novel.
  • 2006 : Kaamelott (Series TV of M6) (the search of Graal is presented there in the form of comic parody).
  • 2006 : Stargate SG-1 (Series TV) (Graal appears as a weapon in form of pendentive built by Merlin in order to destroy the Ori).

Places attached to Graal

Relic S of the Holy Chalice

Places in connection with Munsalwäsche and the castle of Graal

Castle of Montségur

In 1940, on the orders of Heinrich Himmler, the captain Günter Alquen and a score of soldiers S, sought Graal with the Château of Montségur and Montserrat. The association of Montségur (bastion Cathare) in Graal is in fact due to an etymological confusion: In its Parzival, Wolfram von Eschenbach place the castle of the king Shovels on the Munsalwäsche , and German believed wrongly that Montségur was the significance and the place. The precise translation of Munsalwäsche is Mont Wild or Mont of the Hello , and not " Montségur".

Others

Works taking as a starting point the search of Graal with

Close relations of the topic of the search of Graal, many plays known as " of role " appear in the Années 1970. Most famous, and one of the first, is the American play Donjons and Dragons : an assembly of players leaves in search an object, of a person. Each one holds the role of a precise character: knight, magician, Elf, etc a leader of play reveals the multiple tests gradually to be faced before arriving at the goal. Removed from any religious context, the interest of the play is in the infinite variety of the searches built starting from a basic screen, with its stereotyped scenarios and its characters.

The most recent evolution is the transposition of the plays of search on computer, making it possible to only play with the computer for “Master of the play” and to benefit from its graphic and sound capacities to represent imaginary worlds and to manage complex scenarios.

These plays were adapted since to many situations: all great civilizations, real or imaginary, were put at contribution. But it is not a chance if the first versions were located in a feudal world where the magic plays a great part: invented by Anglo-Saxons impregnated of legends arthuriennes, the modern searches reactualize a legendary screen of the 6th century, as Chrétien of Troyes had already done it at the 12th century. Isn't this an good example of timeless Mythe?

The intrigue of the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade are also based on the search of Graal.

References and notes

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