E 326K // Literature of the Middle Ages in Translation: Mysteries of the Grail

Joseph of Arimathea

Joseph of Arimathea is recognized in all four canonical Gospels as the wealthy man that donated his own prepared tomb for the burial of Jesus after his body was taken down from the crucifix. Per the gospel narrative, Joseph, upon hearing of Jesus’ martyrdom, “asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission.” With the help of Nicodemus, Joseph successfully smuggled the body amidst spices and linens to his own tomb, which had been prepared inside a cave near his garden. After this Nicodemus states in his gospel that Joseph was detained in a tower by the Jews for conspiring against them, though he later escaped largely due to the divine favor he received for his actions. Thus, Joseph is venerated as a saint in Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and many Protestant churches.
Less recognized as canonical but no less prominent is his role in the Arthurian legends surrounding the Grail. In many medieval legends Joseph is credited as the first keeper of the grail. The means by which he acquired the grail are widely disputed over though the most common account is that he filled the golden chalice of the last supper with the blood flowing from Christ’s body. Robert de Boron’s book, Joseph d’Arimathe, is the first known work that credits Joseph as the grail keeper. In this version of the legend, the grail sustains Joseph through his imprisonment by the Jews. He later bequeaths the grail unto an established company of followers who found the Christian land Britain. As the legend evolved the party that travelled to Britain and first landed on the Isle of Wight has also transformed. In romances such as Perceval and Perlesvaus, it is Joseph himself who brings the grail to Britain, while in the Lancelot-Grail cycle it is Josephus, the son of Joseph, who does this.
Other legends surround Joseph of Arimeathea as well. When he put his staff on the ground to go to sleep near at Glastonbury, it took leaf and flowered, becoming the “Glastonbury Thorn,” a popular pilgrimage sight before the English reformation of the 16th century. It is also speculated at the Joseph is of Christ’s own bloodline, possibly the uncle of Mary, or of Joseph. This means that, as stated in Perceval by Chretien de Troyes, the Fisher King and, indeed, Perceval as descendents of Joseph may also trace their ancestry back to Christ himself.