The Silver Chalice

The Silver Chalice is a 1952 English language historical novel by Thomas B. Costain. It is the fictional story of the making of a silver chalice to hold the Holy Grail (itself here conflated with the Holy Chalice) and includes 1st century biblical and historical figures: Luke, Joseph of Arimathea, Simon Magus and his companion Helena, and the apostle Peter. The story was inspired by the archeological discovery of a 1st century silver chalice in Antioch (see Antioch Chalice). It is in effect a prequel to the Arthurian Legend, where the search for the Holy Grail plays a conspicuous part. Two years after its publication, Warner Bros. released a feature adaptation of the book. The film starred Paul Newman, in his first studio role, as Basil...