What is The Holy Grail according to Da Vinci Code?

      The Holy Grail has been a mystery for the mankind throughout ages. Many people correspondingly had many theories concerning what the Holy Grail really is: a cup with the blood of Jesus or something else. The Da Vinci Code opens up the curtain and reveals the backstage of this matter as it may be considered the reflection and summary of all Holy Grail theories which have ever existed (Butziger 2006). Nevertheless, only one out of these theories is an “axiom” and the author what his own one to the reader. Though the topic is rather sensitive the theory is chosen on the subjective preferences of the author and the definition of the Holy Grail is presented through the prism of this view.

      It is believed that history can keep its secrets, but nevertheless it still leaves some hints for the people who are really interested in it. The Holy Grail is one of such hints for the humanity which has always stimulated people to conduct spiritual search (Barber 2005). For this reason people have always manifested an outstanding interest to the Holy Grail. This is primarily due to the fact that it is considered to be one of the greatest spiritual leanings of the mankind.  Throughout the search of the Holy Grail its image can be observed in various art masterpieces, paintings and legends. According to the Christian version, the Holy Grail is a cup, which was used by Jesus Christ during the Last Supper. It is also believed that is was used to collect the blood of Jesus Christ during his crucifixion. That is the reason the majority of people believes that drinking fro this cup brings immortality and forgiveness. The name “Holly Grail” comes from the ancient French word “Sangreal”. The first meaning leads to the most widespread interpretation of this notion – a cup, but another interpretation presents the opinion that according to the literal translation of “Sangreal” it is obvious that is means “royal blood” and can possible imply the existence of the descendants of Jesus Christ. Another fact that can support this theory is the fact of the existence of the Priory of Sion (Prieuré de Sion), which has the main goal to protect the genealogic line of Jesus Christ, to protect the Holy Grail. If we step away from the historical facts and try to define the Holy Grail, it is better to say that it actually is a concept which implies a set of thoughts which are associated with the Christian world. The history of the Holy Grail leaves a lot of questions, but nevertheless, the latest Theo-researches gave firth to the understanding of the Holy Grail as a Holly Blood line (his genealogic tree). Correspondingly, the widespread interpretation that Holly Grail is a cup which contained the blood of Christ proves the Holy Blood line theory, for indeed all the members of Christ genealogic tree “posses” the blood of Christ (Baigent 1983). It such case, the Holy Grail, the “royal blood” is a metaphor used to emphasize the version that the Holy Grail is a grail for the blood of Christ which still stays in the blood of his descendants.

     The Holy Grail is the central topic of Dan Brown’s novel “The Da Vinci Code” (Brown 2009).  The book provides all the possible theories associated with the Holy Grail. It does not leave aside anything and it actually stands out as a summary of the notion of the Holly Grail. The aspiration not only to comprehend the essence of the Grail but to find it possesses the mind of the mankind. It has inculcated into the consciousness of the modern men. The secret of the legendary sacred object cannot leave anyone indifferent due to the fact that the idea that the Holy Grail is a metaphor of the lineage of Jesus Christ. Dan Brown also makes a big accent straight on the fact that the Holy Grail is a Holy Blood line through the introduction of the idea that Jesus Christ was married to Maria Magdalena and has a child from her (Brown 2009). Correspondingly the assumption that the “genes” of Christ were stopped is incorrect and probably it still exists nowadays. The Holy Grail became the connection of the “Christ’s children” with the French Royal Merovingian Dynasty (Swanson 2006). According to Dan Brown the basic confirmation of this theory is the hypothesis that after the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Maria Magdalena managed to escape to France (Brown 2009). As she became a part of the frank- tribe, correspondingly Jesus Christ became the ancestor of the Merovingian Dynasty. This hypothesis was promulgated for the first time in the book of Michael Baigent, Henry Lincoln and Richard Leigh “The Holy blood and the Holy grail” and now this hypothesis got the rebirth through the novel “The Da Vinci Code” (Baigent 1983).

     Nowadays it is impossible to define who the straight descendant of Jesus Christ was. This happens primarily due to the fact the blood line has to many directions that it is very hard to trace them throughout the history and the passed centuries. Nevertheless, due to the documents preserved by the Priori of Sion may help to trace same “royal blood” families. According to the book “The Holy blood and the Holy grail”, the descendant of Jesus will not be any different from the rest of the human race (Baigent 1983). The Priori of Sion made an outstanding job in tracing the families starting from the Dynasty but even if the fact that the descendants of Jesus Christ live nowadays the reaction of the society to it is quiet unpredictable (Swanson 2006). As today everything is controlled by politics the appearance of the descendant of Jesus Christ would certainly caused definite arguments and conflicts. This is the reason it is rather hard to undermine the theory through the fact that the “children of Jesus Christ” have not been revealed.

     It goes without saying that there still remains an argument concerning the fact that Maria Magdalena was the wife of Jesus Christ and gave birth to the “Holy Grail”, the child of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel it is said that Maria Magdalena was the achates of Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ loved her more than any other of his followers. In the tandem with other details, a certain conclusion concerning the marriage of Jesus Christ and Maria Magdalena may be made. As Maria Magdalena was the first to see Jesus Christ after his death another fact comes into play – as only the wife back in times had the possibility to do it.  Correspondingly, even the Gospel gives certain hints concerning the fact that Maria and Jesus were actually husband and wife. Being a wife of Jesus, after his crucifixion she was certainly afraid of religious persecution and had no other way out than to escape to another land. According to these facts that version that the Merovingian Dynasty has its roots from Jesus Christ himself does really have a background.

     The Hole Grail has over lived many interpretations. Many scientists consider it to be a material object; a cup and many believe that it has been already found. Nevertheless, the theory which proclaims that the Holy Grail is the Holy Blood line of Jesus Christ is one of the most contemporary, well-based and significant ones (Baigent 1983). If we perceive the bosom of Maria Magdalena as a cup, a reservoir which gave the birth to the “royal blood” and add it to the fact that she escaped to France after the death of Jesus Christ, than we come to the understanding the Holy Grail is the blood of Jesus Christ, which is still in the veins of his descendants.

Works cited:

1. Brown ,Dan. The Da Vinci Code. Anchor, 2009.
2. Baigent, Michael; Leigh, Richard & Lincoln ,Henry. Holy Blood, Holy Grail. Dell, 1983.
3. Barber, Richard. The Holy Grail: Imagination and Belief. Harvard University Press, 2005.
4. Swanson ,Vern. Dynasty of the Holy Grail. Cedar Fort, 2006.
5. Butziger, Alexander. “Da Vinci Code: Fighting Faith and Force” July 27, 2006. March 03, 2009.