The Significance of Communion Cups

Whenever a layman movie buff hears of communion cups, the first thing that pops in his mind is usually the movie Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

What are Communion Cups

Popular culture has depicted some of the most significant religious artifacts in a very unorthodox manner, but the good thing is that it helps ordinary people to get acquainted with these religious items.

In the movie, Indiana Jones was looking for Jesus’ cup. For believers, this is called the Holy Grail, the ultimate communion cup which was used by Christ himself.

In most literary works, you will find that the Holy Grail came to be portrayed as the cup that Christ had used; this also stood for the plate and dish that was used in the Last Supper he had with his disciples.

Throughout centuries, this Holy Grail came to be represented as a communion cup that we are now familiar with.

Nevertheless, even if people actually know about it, the use of communion cups all over the world has expanded and is very varied. The cups that are used are usually made from different kinds of materials depending on the people who make it as well as the country they are from.

Today, we have come a long way from the glass communion cups that were used before during communion masses. Some small congregations still use glass cups, but it’s a very time consuming process to have to wash each cup after service. Hence, most churches, especially big ones, go for plastic communion cups instead.

Purpose of Communion Cups

Today, most churches hardly use glass cups. Big churches of today now prefer to use plastic communion cups.

Some small churches still go for glass cups, but it can take up time since they require washing and cleaning up. Thus, plastic communion cups are deemed more favorable by most big churches.

One important purpose for communion cups is to symbolize the blood of Christ and faith of the people, hence, they are an important part of the Christian belief, no matter what they are made of.

History is somewhat intertwined in the use of communion cups; from the Egyptians using their silver cups to the plastic cups that are used in today’s churches. They are definitely essential pieces of tools that people use in their practices and beliefs.

It supposedly contained the sponge that was used by Christ at Calvary. This was apart from the tradition and belief surrounding the cup from the last supper.

Even if the cup is hardly mentioned in the Last Supper or given any extra significance, believers still uphold it as a sacred item. Another sacred cup is also upheld by Pilgrims in Jerusalem, this was a cup that was supposedly venerated in the Holy Sepulcher.

This is thought to be the cup that was used by Christ in his crucifixion in Calvary and still supposedly contains that sponge that he used. This is of course, different from the cup and tradition surrounding the cup from the Last Supper.

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