Chalice | Catholic Communion

Chalice | Catholic Communion

There is a wide variety of chalices to buy in our online store. From communion chalices made of sterling silver to paten chalices made of metal.

Catholic Church chalice, origin

The word chalice etymologically comes from the Latin word calix, which means cup, cup or vessel where one drinks. In short, the chalice is the name given to it in the Latin language as a cup that was used to drink all kinds of liquids.

With the beginning of our era, and the teachings that Our Lord Jesus Christ left us, the word chalice began to be associated with the moment of Communion, at the moment of the Eucharist. In this sense, the ensigns that he left to the twelve disciples during the celebration of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday were of special importance.

The holy chalice, evolution

The holy chalice is usually a cup with a foot to support it. In the early years, many of the goblets had a handle on each side of the cup. It is also believed that in many cases, the first Christians, most of the time in anonymity, used pieces of glass and other types of vessels that could serve to contain the Blood of Christ.

These goblet designs fell out of use and were replaced by goblets with a symmetrical base and cup. That is, the cup was a reflection in reverse of the base. In most cases they were made of metal and had little decoration.

Over the years, the sacred chalices began to evolve with the aesthetic currents of the times. Evolution tended towards goblets more similar to those we are used to buying today: goblets with a circular base, a simple stem, in most cases with a knot, and a cup with a mouth wider than the base.

From the arrival of the Renaissance, the forms, materials and ornamentation of the chalices become richer. Acquiring enormous fame the masters and goldsmith workshops.

Parts of the Communion chalice

Depending on the moment of history that is analyzed, the three parts of the sacred chalice vary considerably.

Parts of the chalice: base or foot of the Communion chalice

As mentioned before, the base or foot of the chalice has changed throughout history. The feet of the chalices that were used in the early years of the Christian Church have little or nothing to do with those used by priests in today's masses.

They started out very simple. With the passing of the years and changing fashions, the shapes of the bases of the holy chalices have varied remarkably. In our online store of religious articles we have chalices with all kinds of feet, from chalices with circular bases without any type of adornment, to chalices with polylobed bases or with geometric shapes with elements in high or low relief.

Parts of the chalice: the shaft of the religious chalice

The shaft of the holy chalice is the intermediate part, the area that joins the base with the cup of the chalice.

The chalices originally had a very small shaft, without any prominence in the goldsmith piece. Over the years the shaft of the calyxes has acquired greater relevance including ornamental parts such as the knot.

The knot of the calyces is a part of the shaft that performs a fundamentally aesthetic function. It is one of the most used decorative elements to decorate the shaft of the chalices. In this sense, it reaches its greatest share of prominence in the sacred chalices of the Gothic, Baroque or Rococo style . Styles where the aesthetic facet of the chalices has special relevance.

In other styles of a more sober trend, such as the Renaissance-style goblets, the neoclassical style , the ornamentation is reduced and in most goblets, the knot is reduced to simple and elegant forms.

In our online store we have made a selection of sacred chalices collecting shafts of all styles.

Parts of the chalice: the cup of the liturgical chalice

The cup of the chalice is the most important part of this type of sacred vessels. The cup of the chalice is the place where the Blood of Christ will rest when the priest celebrates the Eucharist.

The material with which the cup of the holy chalices is made must be of non-porous materials. They are usually made of noble materials, especially chalices with silver and gold chalice cups, or in metal or bronze.

There is a wide variety in the shape of the cups of the chalices, from cups with hemispherical cups to practically triangular cups, from cups with various bodies (cup and overcup) to completely smooth cups of chalices, from cups with scenes of the Last Supper in relief to cups of chalices with precious liturgical engravings.

In our online store of religious articles you can buy chalices with all kinds of cups.

 

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The chalice is the most important sacred vessel used by priests during liturgical celebrations. The chalice has its origin in the sacred chalice that Jesus used during the Last Supper to give communion to his disciples.

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