was composed of the cup and of the foot, which last must have been
joined on to it at a later period, for it was of a different material.
The cup was pear-shaped, massive, dark-coloured, and highly polished,
with gold ornaments, and two small handles by which it could be lifted.
The foot was of virgin gold, elaborately worked, ornamented with a
serpent and a small bunch of grapes, and enriched with precious stones.

The chalice was left in the Church of Jerusalem, in the hand of St.
James the Less; and I see that it is still preserved in that town--it will
reappear some day, in the same manner as before. Other Churches took
the little cups which surrounded it; one was taken to Antioch, and
another to Ephesus. They belonged to the patriarchs, who drank some
mysterious beverage out of them when they received or gave a
Benediction, as I have seen many times.

The great chalice had formerly been in the possession of Abraham;
Melchisedech brought it with him from the land of Semiramis to the land
of Canaan, when he was beginning to found some settlements on the spot
where Jerusalem was afterwards built; he made use of it then for
offering sacrifice, when he offered bread and wine in the presence of
Abraham, and he left it in the possession of that holy patriarch. This
same chalice had also been preserved in Noah's Ark.


MEDITATION V.

Jesus goes up to Jerusalem.