What has a cup got to do with the Easter story?

Answer 1

The Cup refers to the cup or chalice of wine used by Jesus at the Last Supper on Maundy Thursday. During the Last Supper (which was also the celebration of the Jewish Passover), Jesus began (instituted) the ritual of the Eucharist (Communion, Lord's Supper) by breaking a loaf of bread and saying "This is my body, broken for you. Take, eat, in remembrance of me." He also took a cup of wine, saying, "This cup is the new covenant, sealed in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." He passed the bread and wine to all his disciples.

All Christians regularly repeat this ritual, known as the Mass and the Eucharist in the Roman Catholic Church, and as the Lord's Supper, Communion or Eucharist in Protestant denominations.

The cup used in the Last Supper became known as "The Holy Grail", in a fanciful story throughout Europe and especial in Britain that told of its being lost or hidden because of great magical powers. Tales are told of Knights in the Middle Ages going on quests in search of the Grail. The movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" and Dan Brown's novel, "The Da Vinci Code" both center around this legend.