How to visit Valencia Cathedral and see the Holy Grail: schedules

Did you know that the Holy Grail is in the Valencia Cathedral?

Or at least that's what they told me.

That was one of the surprising discoveries of my last trip to Valencia, because until then I was unaware of it, which seems to be quite generalized.

What's more, the visit of the cathedral of Valencia It was a whole host of surprises, since it was the first time I had seen a cathedral building with such mix of architectural styles.

What to see when visiting the Valencia Cathedral

I tell you that already during your walk through the historic center of Valencia you will be able to see the different faces that the cathedral shows you, with its baroque facade in the Queen's Square adjacent to miterette, famous tower Valencian Gothic style bell tower.

In contrast, on the eastern façade you have the Romanesque door of Almoina, and in the Virgin Square, the famous Apostles' Gate de french gothic style, where every Thursday of the year the historic Water Court.

Already inside, next to a plant three naves in an austere gothic, Do you have the dome en french gothic style or Renaissance paintings of the High Altar.

 

And, of course, the one that was built in the 14th century as chapter house, and that is now the Chapel of the Holy Chalice.

History and legend of the Holy Grail

But is it really about Holy Grail?

Around the cup that Christ used in The Last Supper there is a lot literature and legends, and also many films, such as Indiana Jones and the last crusade, Excalibur o King Arthur's Knights.

In a work from the 12th century it is reported that Christ, once risen, handed the cup to Joseph of Arimathea to take her to Britain.

The sacred nature of the known as Holy Grail o holy chalice, as well as the legends about its special powers that link it with the divine cauldrons of the Celts, has created a long historical tradition related to your search.

Perceval or knights of king arthur They are characters from literature where said cup takes on great prominence.

Holy Chalice of Valencia Cathedral

As to Holy Chalice of Valencia Cathedral, is made up of two pieces.

On the one hand, a agate stone glass, about 7 centimeters high, which in 1960 the archaeologist Antonio Beltran He considered that it had eastern origin and dated it between the years 100 and 50 BC.

The other piece is the gold handles and foot, which are from medieval times.

Tradition says that the holy chalice was taken by San Pedro a Roma and was used by the first potato, until Saint Sixtus II He was sent in the 3rd century to his homeland of Huesca to protect him from persecution.

Protected from the invasion of the Muslims, in 1071 there is a documentary reference to this beautiful agate cup, which is located in the Monastery of San Juan de la Peña, in Huesca.

Delivered in 1399 to the king of Aragon Martin the Human, finally the relic ended up in the Valencia Cathedral in 1437.

Since then this cup has remained in the cathedral, except for its temporary transfer to Palma de Mallorca during the Napoleonic invasion, and to the town of Carlet during the Civil War.

Regarding its authenticity, the Church has not been officially expressed, although it is true that the cup of the cathedral of Valencia It has been used in masses by the popes Juan Pablo II y Benedicto XVI during his visits to the Levantine capital, which is considered implicit support for it.

Of course, there are other glasses whose authenticity has also been claimed as Holy Grail, among them, the Chalice of Doña Urraca, In the Basilica of San Isidoro in León, Holy Grail of O'Cebeiro, Galician village in the Santiago's road, and various other cups that researchers have considered to date from later centuries.

Chapel of the Holy Chalice in Valencia Cathedral

The cup has been located since 1916 in the old chapter house.

When visit the cathedral of ValenciaYou will see this room very close and to the right of the main door.

The current Chapel of the Holy Chalice It was completed in 1369 in a flowery Gothic style.

In this square room holy chalice you can see it displayed framed by a gothic alabaster altarpiece which comes from the old façade of the back choir, from where it was moved in 1777.

Nowadays, this cup is used for Eucharist each Holy Thursday.

Is it authentic Holy Grail of Valencia?

As you can imagine, it is a very controversial issue, but the truth is that, at least, it is very worth seeing the Holy Chalice of Valencia Cathedral for its great artistic wealth and undoubted beauty.

In any case, to make it known, in 2016 the Diocese of Valencia promoted the Jubilee Year of the Holy Chalice of Valenciaas well as a Holy Grail Route, which meant the arrival of thousands of pilgrims to the city.

Valencia Cathedral visit schedules

The Visiting hours of the Valencia Cathedral They are, from April to mid-July, and from mid-September to October 31, Monday to Friday, from 10,30:18,30 a.m. to 17,30:XNUMX p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, until XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

From July 15 to September 15, the hours are, Monday to Sunday, from 10,30:18,30 a.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

Finally, from November to March you can visit the cathedral from 10,30:17,30 a.m. to 14:17,30 p.m., and it is closed on Sundays, except in November, when you can access it from XNUMX p.m. to XNUMX:XNUMX p.m.

Valencia Cathedral Museum ticket prices

For visit the cathedral museuml, the price of admission The general price is 8 euros, with a reduced entrance fee of 5,50 euros for pensioners, disabled people, children (5 to 12 years old) and students.