Sort of a Review of 'A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail', by Chevalier Charles Coulombe

This started out to be a simple review of my friend's latest book. However, as I started writing it, it turned into a review and a disquisition on the wording and translation of the opening words of the narrative of the Cup at Mass. Fear not! The disquisition is not a non sequitur, but is definitely intimately connected to the book.

I have known the author of this book for over 25 years. I have read, if not everything, at least the vast majority of his published work. I love his writing style, which I often compare to that of G.K. Chesterton. They both are able to write of profound subjects with a bit of humour.

However, given the subject matter, I had expected this new book of his to be a dry-as-dust historical account of the history of the Grail and of the various claims put forth for the several chalices that are purported to be the Holy Grail. Was I ever wrong!

Whilst he does touch on the history of the Grail, the book includes what is basically a devotional treatise dedicated to the Precious Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ, which was first transubstantiated from wine in the Grail, the Grail which, according to legend, was used to catch the Precious Blood at the Crucifixion, and much more.

A brief chapter by chapter explanation may help. He opens the book with a succinct retelling of the story of the Grail, as it has been received through the Matter of Britain, Chrétien de Troyes, Sir Thomas Mallory, et al. He then has a chapter on the life of Christ, and the Passion at which the Grail was first used.

This is followed by a discussion of the effect of the Grail story on 'Kings, Knights, and Crusaders', in which he discusses les mentalités of the major players of the age. He then deals with the 'landscape' of the Grail story in much the same way, trying to put the reader into the mediæval scenery, in the knowledge that our physical environment can affect us in much the same way as our milieu.

In the next chapter, we begin to try to find the Grail in a discussion of all the Relics of the Passion, 

(the True Cross, the Title on the Cross, the Crown of Thorns, the Pillar of the Flagellation, the whip used thereat, the Holy Sponge, the nails, the veil of Veronica, and, of course, the Holy Lance) and other relics associated with Christ during His last hours on Earth. These would include His clothing, burial cloths, and, of course, the vessels He used at the Last Supper— the declared sources of the Holy Grail idea.

Coulombe, Charles. A Catholic Quest for the Holy Grail (Kindle Locations 820-823). TAN Books. Kindle Edition.

At this point he finally reaches what I had feared would be the point of the whole book, the various 'Candidates' for the Grail. It is here that he presents the evidence for the belief I discuss at length in my disquisition, below. I have placed the disquisition on a linked page. If you want to be surprised by the author's decision of where the true Grail is, read it after you've read the book, which you may purchase here.

The next four chapters deal with the contents of the Holy Grail, the Precious Blood, the Sacred Heart, and Our Lady as Queen of the Holy Grail, all in their relationship to the Grail.

Appended to the main body of the book are a gazetteer of the Grail and an appendix regarding Blood relics and Eucharistic miracles.

So, by the time I finished reading the book, I was ashamed of my first expectations. The author has written about a profound subject in a very accessible and readable manner. I highly recommend it, whether you are familiar with the Chevalier's work or not.

(My Disquisition)