Holy chalice guarded in the Cathedral of Valencia makes an extraordinary exit

The holy chalice that is guarded in the Cathedral of Valencia (Spain) from the fifteenth century leaves this week of its usual location in an extraordinary way to two places linked to its history: the monastery of San Juan de la Peña and the cathedral of Jaca.

The relic, one of the main of Christianity, will be taken on Tuesday, July 15 to the monastery of San Juan de la Peña – where it remained hidden for more than three centuries – and then to the Jaca Cathedral, on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Real Brotherhood of San Juan de la Peña.

That same day a solemn mass will be held, after which the faithful can venerate the holy chalice before their transfer to the Jaca Cathedral.

The next day, a Eucharist will be held early in the morning, after which a holy hour will be held before giving time to different diocesan and parish groups to venerate the holy chalice.

After the solemn mass in the afternoon, the holy chalice in procession will take from the main altar to the atrium of the cathedral, before returning to Valencia.

The Canon Ceador of the Holy Chalice, a presbyter in charge of guarding the relic, P. Álvaro Almenar, said, in statements disseminated by the Archdiocese of Valenciathat it is “a very important, exceptional event, of twinning.”

For the priest, “whenever we are close to the Holy Chalice we are seeing with our eyes what Jesus would see. Therefore, contemplating him, we are invited to have the same feelings as Christ.”

Given the importance of relic, “there is an entire established protocol that will allow people to see and be close to the Holy Chalice but also – as it cannot be otherwise – to guarantee security because it is the unique piece that is,” said Fr. Almenar.

In the Valencia Cathedral since 1437

Due to its exceptional character, the Holy Chalice only leaves rarely from the place where it is guarded within the Valencia Cathedral since 1437. In an annual way, it is only used publicly in October, on the occasion of the feast of the Holy Chalice, and every Holy Thursday, when it is placed on the main altar.

In the past, and due to its historical relationship, the Holy Calliz has been taken to San Juan de la Peña in 1954 and in 1994; It also took to the Valencian population of Carlet in 2016, for being the place where the relic in the Spanish Civil War, between 1937 and 1938, remained hidden, on the occasion of the Eucharistic Jubilee Year of the Chalice of Mercy.

The Valencia Cathedral celebrates a jubilee year since Pope Francis authorized himbeing Valencia one of the few places in the world that has recognized perpetual jubilee.

This year will begin next October and, once the ordinary jubilee dedicated to hope is closed, retirement visits related to the Holy Chalice in Valencia will begin.

How the Holy Chalice arrived to Spain

The holy chalice used by the Lord at the Last Supper arrived in Spain through Lorenzo, the deacon of Pope Sixto II, 24th Successor of St. Peter who was beheaded in the year 258.

Lorenzo sent the holy chalice to his hometown, Loreto, near Huesca. Due to the Muslim invasion in the seventh century, he changed from place until in the mid -eleventh century he stressed in Jaca, where his Bishop Acisclo handed it to the monastery of San Juan de la Peña, where he remained more than three centuries.

Martín I “The Human”, King of Aragon, of Valencia, de Mallorca, of Sardinia and Count of Barcelona (1396-1410) wanted to have the relic, first in Zaragoza and then in Barcelona.

Alfonso V of Aragon, who to the kingdoms of his ancestor added Sicily and Naples, handed the Cathedral of Valencia in 1437 the holy chalice.