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 CHALICE

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CHALICE

everything there was precious and truly fit to inspire awe." So far as it is possible to collect any scraps of information regarding the chalices in use among early Christians, the evidence seems to favour the prevalence of glass, though cups of the precious and of baser metals, of ivory, wood, and even clay were also in use. (See Hefele, Beitrage, II, 32.3-5.) A passage of St. Irenseus (Hser., I, c. xiii) describing a pretended miracle wrought by Mark the Gnostic who poured white wine into liis chalice and then after prayer showed the contents to be red, almost neces- sarily supposes a vessel of glass, and the glass patens (patenas vitreas) mentioned in the "Liber Pontifica- lis" under Zephyrinus (202-19), as well as certain passages in Tertullian and St. Jerome, entirely favour the same conclusion. But the tendency to use by preference the precious metals developed early. St. Augustine speaks of two golden and six silver chalices dug up at Cirta in Africa (Contra Crescon., Ill, c. xxix), and St. Chrysostom of a golden chalice set with gems (Horn. 1 in Matt.). As regards shape, our prin- cipal information at this early period is derived from certain representations, said to be meant for Eucha- ristic chalices, which are found in early mosaics, sarcophagi, and other monuments of Christian art. The general prevalence of an almost stemless, vase- shaped type with two handles, inclines us to believe that a glass vessel of this nature discovered in the Ostrian catacomb on the Via Nomentana, and now preserved in the Lateran Museum, may really have been a chalice. At an early date it became common to inscribe the donor's name upon costly vessels pre- sented to churches. Thus it is known that Galla Placidia (d. 450) offered a chalice with such an in- scription to the church of Zacharias at Ravenna, and the Emperor Valentinian III sent another to the church at Brive. Such goblets were sometimes known as adices literati. The earliest specimen of a chalice of whose original purpose we can feel reason- ably confident is the chalice of Chelles, preserved un- til the French Revolution and believed to have been wrought by, or at least to date from the time of, the famous artificer St. Eligius of Noyon, who died in 659. The material was gold, richly decorated with enamels and precious stones. In shape it was with- out handles and like a celery glass, with a very deep cup and no stem, but the cup was joined to the base by a knop, which under the name of nodus or pomel- lum became a very characteristic feature in the chal- ices of the Middle Ages. In many of the specimens described or preserved from the Merovingian, Carlo- vingian, and Romanesque periods, it is possible to make a distinction between the ordinary sacrificial chalice used by bishops and priests in the Mass and the calices ministeriales intended for the Communion of the faithful at Easter and other seasons when many received. These latter chalices are of considerable size, and they are often, though not always, fitted with handles, which, it is easy to understand, would have afforded additional security against accidents when the sacred vessel was put to the lips of each communicant m turn. In a rude and barbarous age the practical difficulties of Communion under the species of wine must have been considerable, and it is not wonderful that from the Carlovingian period onwards the device was frequently adopted of using a pipe or reed (known by a variety ot names, fistula, ./.j, pipa, calamus, siphon, etc.) tor the Communion of both clergy anil people. To this day at the solemn papal high Mass. the chalice is brought from the altar to the pope at his throne. and the pontiff absorbs its contents through a golden I his practice also lasted down to the reforma- tion among the Cistercians.

The Chalices of the Middle Ages. — Of chalices earlier than the time of Charlemagne the existing specimens are so few and so doubtful that generaliza-

tion of any kind is almost impossible. Besides the already mentioned chalice of Chelles, now destroyed, only two of those still preserved can be referred con- fidently to a date earlier than the year 800. The most remarkable of these is that of Tassilo, which bears the inscription tassilo dux fortis + luit- pirg virga (sic) regalls. This beautiful piece of metal work exhibits an egg-shaped cup joined to a small conical base by a knop. The character of the ornamentation shows clearly the predominance of Irish influences, even if it be not actually the work of an Irish craftsman. Plainer in design, but very similar in form, is the chalice said to have belonged to St. Ledger. Its Eucharistic character is proved beyond doubt by the inscription which it bears: hic calix sangvinis dni ihv xti. If, as is possible, these words are intended to form a chronogram, they yield the date 788. Of the succeeding period, by far the most remarkable example preserved is the magnificent relic of Irish art known as the Chalice of Ardagh, from the place near which it was accidentally discovered in 180S. This is a "minis- terial" chalice and it has two handles. It is seven inches in height but as much as nine and a half inches in diameter, and the bowl is capable of containing nearly three pints of liquid. The material is silver alloyed with copper, but gold and other metals have been used in its wonderful ornamentation, consisting largely of interlacing patterns and rich enamels. An inscrip- tion in very interesting ancient characters gives sim- ply the names of the Twelve Apostles, a list of course highly suggestive of the Last Supper. The date con- jecturally assigned to this masterpiece from the let- ters of the inscription is the ninth or tenth century. But in any case the broadening of the cup and the firm and wide base indicate a development which is noticeable in nearly all the chalices of the Roman- esque period. The chalice known as that of St. Goz- lin. Bishop of Toul (922-02), is still preserved in the cathedral of Nancy. In its broad, low, circular form it much resembles the last-named chalice. Another very beautiful ministerial chalice with handles, but of later date (twelfth century?), is that of the Abbey of Wilten in the Tyrol. It may be added that although these double-handled cups of precious metal were no doubt primarily intended for the Communion of the people, they were also on great occasions used by the celebrant in the Holy Sacrifice. The fresco in the under-church of San Clemente in Rome (eleventh century?), representing the Mass of St. Clement, shows a two-handled chalice upon the altar, and the same may be seen in the famous liturgical ivory panel of the Spitza collection (Kraus. Christliche Kunst, 1 1, 18).

It is certain, however, that tin' chalices commonly used for the private Masses of parish priests and monks were of a simpler character, and in the eighth, ninth and following centuries much legislation was devoted to securing that chalices should be made of

becoming material. From a remark attributed lo St. Boniface (c. 740) that in the early ages of the church

the priests were of gold and the chalices of wood, hut that now the chalices were of gold anil the priests of wood, it might be inferred that he would have fa- voured simplicity in the furniture of the altar, but the synodal decrees of this period only aimed at promot- ing suitable reverence for the Mass. England seems to have taken the lead in this matter, and in any case