All language subtitles for Forbidden History S02E02 1080p AMZN WEB-DL DD+2 0 x264-Absinth_track3_[eng]

Narrator: THE HOLY GRAIL.

WHAT WAS IT?

A CUP FROM THE LAST SUPPER?

A CUP USED TO HELP
CLEANSE JESUS' BODY

AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION?

DOES THIS MOST FAMOUS RELIC
ACTUALLY EXIST?

Fanthorpe: THERE IS
A REAL HISTORICAL POSSIBILITY

THAT THE CUP
USED AT THE LAST SUPPER

WOULD HAVE BEEN PRESERVED.

THIS IS WHAT WAS FOUND IN THERE,
A SMALL STONE CUP.

Howells: I DON'T THINK THE GRAIL
IS A PHYSICAL ITEM.

I DON'T THINK IT CAN BE.
IT HAS TOO MUCH POWER.

IT HAS TOO MUCH
PSYCHOLOGICAL VALUE.

SAFELY KEPT IN A JIFFY BAG.

I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING
TO FIND THE HOLY GRAIL

IN A JIFFY BAG.

RIGHT. OKAY.
IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.

Picknett: WE'RE NEVER GOING TO
FIND THE REAL HOLY GRAIL

IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT THE CUP
THAT WAS USED AT THE LAST SUPPER

BECAUSE THERE'S NO SUCH THING.

DO YOU THINK
THIS IS THE HOLY GRAIL?

THEY'VE ALL GOT A CUP.

THEY ALL, YOU KNOW, CAN HEAL.

IT'S A PIECE OF INDUSTRY,
IF YOU LIKE,

OR A PIECE OF BUSINESS.

WOW.

Captions by VITAC...
www.vitac.com

CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS

Narrator:
THE QUEST FOR THE HOLY GRAIL

IS ONE OF THE GREAT ADVENTURES
OF ALL TIME.

IT'S ATTRACTED ARTHURIAN
KNIGHTS, INDIANA JONES,

AND DOZENS OF ARCHAEOLOGISTS
AND EXPLORERS THROUGH THE AGES.

THE RESULT HAS BEEN
THE DISCOVERY

OF A NUMBER
OF CUPS AND CHALICES,

WHICH ALL LAY CLAIM
TO BE THE REAL THING.

BUT ARE THEY?

JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON
IS ON A QUEST TO FIND OUT.

Butler: IT'S ALWAYS
SEEMED RATHER STRANGE TO ME

THAT IN A VERY SIMPLE MEAL,

GIVEN A VERY SIMPLE PLACE
2,000 YEARS AGO,

USING WOODEN
OR VERY SIMPLE POTTERY BOWLS

THAT THE CUP THAT JESUS DRANK
OUT OF AT THE LAST SUPPER

COULD POSSIBLY HAVE SURVIVED

OR THAT ANYONE WOULD HAVE EVEN
THOUGHT ABOUT KEEPING IT.

Gough:
I REALLY DON'T THINK THAT A CUP
OR CHALICE FROM THE CRUCIFIXION

OR EVEN THE LAST SUPPER
WOULD HAVE BEEN KEPT.

NOW, THERE MAY BE CUPS
OR CHALICES THAT WERE SACRED

AND USED IN MASS

BY FAMOUS PRIESTS SUCH
AS ST. LAWRENCE OR EVEN PAUL

THAT HAVE BEEN PRESERVED.

AND THAT'S ENTIRELY POSSIBLE.

YOU HAVE TO LOOK NO FURTHER
THAN THE CHALICE IN VALENCIA

TO SEE THAT POSSIBILITY.

Narrator: ONE OF THE PROBLEMS
WITH IDENTIFYING

THE REAL, TRUE HOLY GRAIL

IS THAT THERE'S SO MUCH DEBATE

ABOUT WHAT IT REALLY IS
IN THE FIRST PLACE.

THE HOLY GRAIL IS SOMETIMES
THOUGHT OF AS THE CUP

THAT WAS USED AT THE LAST SUPPER
WITH JESUS AND THE DISCIPLES.

AND IT'S ALSO THOUGHT
TO HAVE BEEN THE CUP

THAT CONTAINS SOME OF HIS BLOOD.

Prince:
IN SOME WAYS, THE QUESTION,
"WHAT IS THE HOLY GRAIL?"

IS KIND OF A BIT
OF A RED HERRING.

OR RATHER,
IT'S GOT A VERY SIMPLE ANSWER...

THAT IN ANY GIVEN TELLING
OF THE GRAIL STORY,

THE GRAIL IS OR IT REPRESENTS
WHATEVER IT IS

THE WRITER OF THAT PARTICULAR
STORY WANTS IT TO BE.

Butler:
THE ONE GREAT THING ABOUT
THE BEST OF THE GRAIL STORIES

IS THAT THE KNIGHTS
OF THE ROUND TABLE

WHO SEEK TO FIND IT ONLY EVER
FIND IT WHEN THEY'RE DEAD.

SO THAT THE GRAIL
IS ESSENTIALLY, FOR ME,

A SPIRITUAL THING,
A SEARCH.

Gough: YOU KNOW, THERE'S LOTS OF
CUPS AND CHALICES THAT PURPORT

TO BE THE HOLY GRAIL
AND THE ONE AND ONLY.

YOU KNOW, IT COULD BE
FROM THE 1st CENTURY A.D.

IT COULD BE MEDIEVAL.

IT COULD BE FROM
A COFFEE SHOP IN NEW YORK CITY.

BUT THE POINT IS,

IF IT'S MEANINGFUL AND SYMBOLIC
TO YOU,

THEN, YES, IT IS A GRAIL.

WE SHOULDN'T THINK
THERE'S JUST ONE OF THEM.

Narrator:
JAMIE'S FIRST STOP IS HAWKSTONE
PARK IN SHROPSHIRE IN ENGLAND.

AUTHOR AND HISTORIAN
GRAHAM PHILLIPS BELIEVES

THAT THE HOLY GRAIL
IS A SMALL OINTMENT CUP

THAT MARY MAGDALENE USED TO HEAL
JESUS AFTER HIS CRUCIFIXION

AND THAT HE'S FOUND IT
RIGHT HERE

IN THE HEART
OF THE ENGLISH COUNTRYSIDE.

SO, GRAHAM,
WHAT WAS IT THAT LED YOU HERE?

IN THE MID-1800s,

THERE WAS A LOCAL HISTORIAN
CALLED THOMAS WRIGHT.

AND HE CLAIMED
THAT HE WAS DESCENDED

FROM THE FAMILY
THAT POSSESSED THE HOLY GRAIL,

SPECIFICALLY THE GRAIL
THAT BELONGED TO MARY MAGDALENE,

THE SMALL CHALICE
THAT SHE HAD USED...

ACCORDING TO THE BIBLE...

TO COLLECT A FEW DROPS
OF JESUS' BLOOD

WHEN HE WAS ON THE CROSS.
OKAY.

NOW, THOMAS WRIGHT CLAIMED
THAT HE POSSESSED THIS CUP

AND UNFORTUNATELY HAD NO ONE
TO HAND IT ON TO.

SO WHAT HE DID,

SEEING HIMSELF AS SOME,
PERHAPS, LATTER-DAY MERLIN,

IS TO HIDE THIS CUP
AND LEAVE A SERIES OF CLUES,

CRYPTIC CLUES
AS TO WHERE IT WAS.

NOW THESE, IT WAS SAID,

WERE IN THIS BOOK
THAT HE HAD WRITTEN,

WHICH IS BASICALLY
A POEM

ABOUT THE LOCAL LANDSCAPE
IN THIS AREA.

Theakston: RIGHT.

AND IN THIS BOOK,
AT THE END OF THE BOOK,

IS A PICTURE OF SOMEWHERE CALLED
THE RED CASTLE.

AND THE RED CASTLE
IS ASSOCIATED IN LEGEND,

WHICH IS REALLY
ALL THAT'S KNOWN ABOUT IT,

WITH THE KING ARTHUR STORY...
RIGHT.

WHERE ONE OF ARTHUR'S
ENEMIES, THE RED KNIGHT,

LIVES IN THE RED CASTLE.

BUT BACK IN LIKE 1990,
WHEN I FIRST CAME HERE,

I GOT TO THIS SPOT.

AND THERE IS THE KEEP
OF THE RED CASTLE

EXACTLY AS THE PICTURE
IN THE BOOK.

AND THIS PROVED TO ME THAT,
WOW, THIS QUEST IS REAL.

THERE HAS GOT
TO BE A SERIES OF CLUES,

AS THOMAS WRIGHT CLAIMED.

WHAT'S DOWN...
CAN WE GO IN THERE?

YEAH, THIS IS QUITE INTERESTING
IN HERE.

AS I SAY,
NOBODY REALLY KNOWS

WHAT THE CASTLE
WAS USED FOR.

RIGHT.

AND IN HERE, YOU WILL FIND
ANOTHER VERY MYSTERIOUS...

YOU NEED A TORCH.

YEAH, I GOT THAT.
TO GET IN.

MIND YOUR HEAD.

NOW, IN HERE,

YOU'VE GOT WHAT IS SAID TO BE,
LOCALLY, A WELL.

BUT IT'S NOT...

Theakston: OH, MY GOD.
IT'S JUST TOO WIDE TO BE ONE.

AND LOOK HOW DEEP IT IS.

WOW.
AND ALL AROUND THE WALLS

YOU'VE GOT THESE
LITTLE SORT OF NICHES

INTO WHICH WOULD HAVE GONE WOOD
TO SUPPORT FLOORS.

AND THE ONLY THEORY PEOPLE
HAVE IS, SOMEHOW,

THIS WAS A SERIES OF FLOORS
GOING DEEP UNDERGROUND

AS A SORT OF MEDIEVAL BUNKER,
SO TO SPEAK.

SO WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN
IN THE BOTTOM THERE?

NOBODY KNOWS.

Phillips: AND THE REALLY
INTERESTING THING, OF COURSE,

AS FAR AS THE CURRENT QUEST
IS CONCERNED

IS THAT THE PICTURE

IN THE DRAWING
IN THOMAS WRIGHT'S BOOK

IS DRAWN FROM HERE.

AND SO,
THE FIRST CLUE IN THE SERIES

IF WE'RE SUPPOSED TO STAND HERE,
SAYS,

"LEAD ME TO THE ROCK
THAT IS HIGHER THAN I."

AND THE ONLY ROCK
THAT'S IN THE AREA THAT'S HIGHER

IS THAT ONE THERE.

AND THAT, REALLY,
IS WHAT IS KNOWN LOCALLY

AS THE WHITE CLIFF.

AND IT SEEMS TO BE UP THERE

I'VE GOT TO GO.

SO, THAT'S WHERE
THE SECOND CLUE IS.

YES. AND, IN FACT, IF YOU COULD
JUST FOLLOW ME, I'LL SHOW YOU.

YOU CAN'T SEE IT QUITE
THROUGH THE TREES HERE.

BUT ON TOP OF THAT CLIFF
IS A VERY STRANGE MONUMENT,

WHICH IS ALSO REFERENCED
IN THE CLUES.

OKAY.
LET'S GO TAKE A LOOK.

GRAHAM TOOK JAMIE
UP TO THE TOP OF THE HILL

TO SEE THE RUINS
OF THE CHAPEL CLOSE-UP.

IF HE WAS RIGHT
AND THE CLUES DID LEAD TO IT,

THEN THE SO-CALLED
HAWKSTONE GRAIL

LAY HIDDEN AWAY INSIDE THE HILL
BENEATH THEIR FEET.

SO OF COURSE,
THE NEXT CLUE TELLS ME

THAT I HAVE TO GO
BELOW THE ARCH INSIDE THE HILL.

NOW, I'M THINKING, "HOW ON EARTH
AM I GOING TO DO THAT?"

SO IF I GO AROUND THE BACK

OF WHERE THE ARCH
IS IN THE CLIFF,

I FIND THIS ASTONISHING GORGE
CUT THROUGH THE ROCKS.

SO I THINK,
"WELL, LET'S GO UP HERE."

AT THE TIME,
A LOT OF THIS WAS OVERGROWN.

AND SO I START TO HAVE TO HACK
MY WAY THROUGH AND CLIMB MY WAY

OVER ALL SORTS
OF FALLEN BRANCHES

AND DIFFERENT
BITS AND PIECES.

AND I'M THINKING,
"WELL, IS THIS IN ANY WAY

GOING TO LEAD ME INSIDE THE ROCK
AND UNDER WHERE THE ARCH IS?"

AND, ASTONISHINGLY,
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT IT DOES.

EVENTUALLY I FOUND THIS,

AN ENTRANCE
INTO THE CLIFF ITSELF.

WOW.

WHAT DID GRAHAM FIND THAT HAD
BEEN HIDDEN AWAY UNDER THIS HILL

OVER A CENTURY AGO?

WAS IT THE CUP
THAT MARY MAGDALENE

USED TO COLLECT THE BLOOD
OF JESUS AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION?

OR WAS THIS WHOLE TREASURE HUNT
A CLEVER HOAX?

STARTLING REVELATIONS
TO THIS MYSTERY

WHEN "FORBIDDEN HISTORY"
RETURNS.

Narrator: OVER THE CENTURIES,

DOZENS OF CUPS AND CHALICES

HAVE BEEN HAILED
AS THE ACTUAL VESSEL

THAT JESUS DRANK FROM
AT THE LAST SUPPER.

BUT WHICH, IF ANY,
ARE THE REAL THING?

JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON
HAS COME TO HAWKSTONE PARK

IN THE HEART OF ENGLAND

TO MEET AN AUTHOR
AND RESEARCHER, GRAHAM PHILLIPS,

WHO BELIEVES
THAT HE HAS DISCOVERED THE CUP

USED TO CATCH THE BLOOD OF JESUS
AFTER HIS CRUCIFIXION.

A LOCAL LAND OWNER
IN THE 18th CENTURY,

THOMAS WRIGHT,

CLAIMED THAT HE HAD INHERITED
THE CUP FROM HIS FAMILY

AND THEN LEFT A SERIES OF CLUES

AS TO WHERE IT COULD BE FOUND
ON HIS ESTATE.

THESE HAVE NOW LED GRAHAM
AND JAMIE TO THE ENTRANCE

OF AN UNDERGROUND LABYRINTH.

HERE WE ARE,
DIRECTLY BELOW THE STONE ARCH.

SO WE'RE WHERE THOMAS WRIGHT
WANTED US TO BE

AT THE END
OF HIS TRAIL OF CLUES.

IF HE'S TELLING THE TRUTH,

SOMEWHERE HERE MUST BE
HIDDEN THE HOLY GRAIL.

BUT WHERE?

WHAT DO WE GOT IN HERE?
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS.

THIS, BELIEVE IT OR NOT,
WAS ORIGINALLY AN EAGLE STATUE.

Theakston: RIGHT.
THERE'S ITS BREASTS.

THERE'S ITS LEGS.
THERE'S ITS WINGS.

ITS HEAD WOULD HAVE BEEN
ABOUT THERE.

NOW, THERE'S SOMETHING
I HAVE TO TELL YOU ABOUT

THAT I'D ALSO FOUND OUT ALREADY
ABOUT THOMAS WRIGHT.

AT THE SAME TIME AS HE
WAS LEAVING THIS TRAIL OF CLUES,

HE HAD
A STAINED-GLASS WINDOW

DESIGNED AND DONATED
TO HIS LOCAL CHURCH.

AND IN THAT STAINED-GLASS WINDOW
IS DEPICTED MARY MAGDALENE

HOLDING THE CHALICE.

OKAY.

AND DIRECTLY ABOVE HER HEAD
IS AN EAGLE.

AND WHEN I FIRST
SAW THIS EAGLE STATUE

OR DISCOVERED THAT IT HAD
ORIGINALLY HAD BEEN AN EAGLE,

I THOUGHT "THIS HAS GOT TO BE

WHERE THOMAS WRIGHT
HID THE GRAIL.

MAYBE HE'S HIDDEN IT
INSIDE IT SOMEHOW."

BUT IT'S ALL BROKEN UP,
AND WHEN I FOUND IT,

IT WAS IN THE SAME CONDITION
AS THIS.

SO, I LOOKED
INTO THE HISTORY

TO FIND OUT
HOW IT GOT IN THIS CONDITION.

AND I FOUND OUT
THAT IN THE 1920s,

A LOCAL BUSINESSMAN
CALLED WALTER LANGHAM

DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO HAVE
THIS MOVED OUT

AND PUT IT IN HIS GARDEN.

WHEN HE TRIED TO HAVE IT MOVED
BECAUSE IT'S A HEAVY THING...

YEAH,
YOU'RE NOT GONNA MOVE THAT.

THE TACKLE BROKE,
AND THE THING SMASHED APART.

BUT WHAT WAS INTERESTING,

AS I FOUND OUT A LITTLE STORY
IN A NEWSPAPER FROM THE TIME,

IS THAT,
WHEN THE BASE WAS BROKEN,

INSIDE THEY FOUND
A SMALL STONE CUP,

WHICH THEY THOUGHT
WAS OF INTEREST AT THE TIME.

BUT THEY DIDN'T REALLY KNOW WHY.
END OF STORY.

AND I THOUGHT, "OH, MY GOODNESS.
QUITE BY ACCIDENT...

QUITE BY ACCIDENT,

SOMEBODY HAD FOUND
THOMAS WRIGHT'S GRAIL."

A SMALL, STONE CUP

IS EXACTLY
WHAT IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE.

I DECIDED TO FIND OUT
FROM HIS DESCENDANTS,

IF THEY WERE STILL ALIVE,
WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO THIS THING.

AND I MANAGED TO SPEAK TO
HIS GREAT-GREAT-GRANDDAUGHTER,

VISITED HER.

AND I SAID, "DO YOU KNOW
WHAT HAPPENED TO THAT CUP?"

SHE SAID, "WELL, WE...
I THINK EVERYBODY IN THE FAMILY

THOUGHT IT WAS SOME KIND
OF VICTORIAN MUSTARD POT

OR SOMETHING, BUT, YES,
WE'VE STILL GOT IT."

"REALLY?
CAN I SEE IT?"

AND SHE TOOK ME UP
INTO THE ATTIC...

RIGHT.
AND IN NEWSPAPER,

WRAPPED UP
IN OLD NEWSPAPER

AMONGST CUPS AND SAUCERS
AND THAT WAS THIS.

AND THIS IS...

[ Chuckling ]
OKAY. THIS IS IT.

THIS IS WHAT WAS IN HER ATTIC
ALL WRAPPED UP IN NEWSPAPER.

OH.

THIS IS THE HOLY GRAIL?

YOU SEE, I'VE SEEN PICTURES
OF JESUS DRINKING FROM A CUP

IN THE LAST SUPPER.

THIS IS MORE OF AN EGG-CUP SIZE
THAN A...

I WAS EXPECTING A CHALICE.

WELL, PRECISELY.

THE STORY
OF THE MARY MAGDALENE GRAIL

IS THAT SHE USED A SMALL SCENT
JAR TO CATCH DROPS OF BLOOD

WHILE
JESUS WAS ON THE CROSS.

I ASKED THE LADY WHO OWNED IT
IF I COULD BORROW IT.

SHE SAID, "YEAH."
I WENT TO ARCHAEOLOGISTS,

ASKED THEM WHAT THIS WAS.

I DIDN'T SAY,
"IS THIS THE GRAIL OR WHAT?"

I BASICALLY JUST SAID, YOU KNOW,
"WHAT IS THIS?"

AND THEY FIRSTLY SAID,
"WELL, THAT'S A ROMAN SCENT JAR

PROBABLY DATING
FROM THE 1st CENTURY A.D."

THEY SAID SECONDLY,
"IT'S MADE OF ALABASTER."

WELL, IN THE BIBLE,

IT TELLS US IT'S A SCENT JAR
BELONGING TO MARY MAGDALENE

2,000 YEARS AGO
MADE OF ALABASTER.

AND I SAID, "YOU KNOW
WHERE IT CAME FROM?"

AND THEY SAID,
"OF THE TYPE OF STONE,

SOMEWHERE
IN THE PALESTINE AREA."

SO YOU MAY BE
HOLDING IN YOUR HAND

THE MOST PRECIOUS ARTIFACT
IN THE WORLD.

WOW.

THE HAWKSTONE CUP IS INTERESTING
BECAUSE IT'S NOT A CHALICE.

IT'S ACTUALLY A 1st-CENTURY
PERFUME JAR WITHOUT ITS LID.

AND AS SUCH, IT IS NOT LINKED
WITH THE LAST SUPPER.

IT IS LINKED
WITH MARY MAGDALENE,

WHO ANOINTED JESUS

WITH INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE
SPIKENARD PERFUME.

AND THAT'S VERY INTERESTING
THAT THE FAMILY THAT OWNED THIS

AUTOMATICALLY ASSUMED

THAT IT'S CONNECTED
WITH A GRAIL-LIKE THING.

IT'S A GRAIL-LIKE STORY.

[ SOBS ]

Gough: THE BRITISH MUSEUM
DATES IT TO THE 1st CENTURY

MIDDLE EAST, RIGHT?

SO ANYTHING THAT'S DATED NOW
TO THE 1st CENTURY MIDDLE EAST,

WELL, OF COURSE,
IT HAS TO BE THE GRAIL, RIGHT?

AND PEOPLE MAKE THIS GREAT LEAP

FROM, "NO,
IT'S LOVELY ANCIENT ARTIFACT."

MAYBE IT WAS IN THE POSSESSION
OF A WEALTHY FAMILY.

FANTASTIC. THAT'S AMAZING.
THAT DOESN'T MAKE IT THE GRAIL.

Narrator:
THE SMALL, EGG-CUP-SHAPED VESSEL

IS NOT EVERYONE'S IDEA
OF THE HOLY GRAIL,

LOOKING RATHER SMALL AND PLAIN.

BUT WHEN YOU TAKE A CLOSER LOOK
AT DA VINCI'S LAST SUPPER,

GUESS WHAT'S SITTING
ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF JESUS.

A SMALL, GREENISH CUP.

Fanthorpe:
IT'S NOT VERY PROBABLE

BECAUSE OF THE SIZE AND THE
MATERIAL OF WHICH IT IS MADE.

BUT THERE ARE THOSE
WHO BELIEVE IT TO BE

A VERY INTERESTING
PIECE OF HISTORY.

THOUGH, I WOULDN'T PUT IT
VERY HIGH ON THE LIST

OF CLAIMANTS
TO BE THE REAL HOLY GRAIL.

Narrator:
IS THIS WOODEN DRINKING BOWL
THE REAL HOLY GRAIL?

WAS IT BROUGHT TO BRITAIN
FROM THE HOLY LAND

AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION BY JESUS'
UNCLE, JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA?

AND DOES IT REALLY
HAVE MIRACULOUS HEALING POWERS?

THIS INCREDIBLE STORY CONTINUES

WHEN "FORBIDDEN HISTORY"
RETURNS.

Narrator:
JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON

IS ON THE TRAIL
OF THE HOLY GRAIL.

LOTS OF CUPS AND CHALICES
DOWN THROUGH THE CENTURIES

HAVE CLAIMED
TO BE THE REAL THING,

BUT ARE THEY?

HIS SEARCH HAS, SO FAR, TAKEN
HIM TO SHROPSHIRE IN ENGLAND

AND THE FABLED HAWKSTONE GRAIL
HIDDEN INSIDE A HILLSIDE.

AND NOW HE HAS COME
TO A COUNTRY ESTATE IN WALES

TO SEE THE NANTEOS CUP,

A SMALL WOODEN DRINKING
BOWL THAT LEGEND SAYS

WAS BROUGHT BACK
FROM THE LAST SUPPER

BY JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA.

ACCORDING TO PEOPLE
WHO HAVE DRUNK FROM THE CUP,

IT HAS AMAZING HEALING POWERS.

BUT COULD THIS REALLY
BE THE TRUE HOLY GRAIL?

I'VE MET SOMEBODY
WHO CLAIMS TO HAVE BEEN HEALED.

I BELIEVE HER WHEN SHE SAYS
SHE WAS HEALED BY IT.

WHY NOT?

Narrator: AS THE STORY GOES,

JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA,
JESUS' UNCLE,

BROUGHT THE CUP FROM
THE LAST SUPPER TO GLASTONBURY,

WHERE HE FOUNDED THE FIRST
CHRISTIAN CHURCH IN BRITAIN.

WE KNOW IT TODAY
AS GLASTONBURY ABBEY.

IT WAS WORSHIPPED THERE
AS A SACRED RELIC FOR CENTURIES

UNTIL HENRY THE VIII's
DISILLUSION OF THE MONASTERIES

IN THE 15th CENTURY,

WHEN A GROUP OF MONKS RESCUED IT

AND ESCAPED TO STRATA FLORIDA
ABBEY IN WALES,

JUST A SHORT DISTANCE
FROM NANTEOS HOUSE.

BEFORE THE FINAL MONK DIED,

HE PASSED THE CUP ON
TO THOMAS STEDMAN,

THE OWNER OF NANTEOS,
FOR SAFE KEEPING.

THE SMALL WOODEN CUP PASSED
FROM OWNER TO OWNER OF NANTEOS

WITHOUT MUCH ATTENTION
BEING PAID TO IT

UNTIL THE POWELL FAMILY
TOOK OVER THE ESTATE

IN THE MID-19th CENTURY,

WHEN IT BECAME KNOWN LOCALLY
AS THE HEALING CUP.

THERE ARE RECORDS

OF MRS. POWELL ALLOWING PEOPLE
TO DRINK FROM THE CUP

AND THEN BEING HEALED.

IN 1905,
IT WAS EXHIBITED LOCALLY

AND REFERRED TO
AS THE WELSH HOLY GRAIL.

AND, ALMOST OVERNIGHT,
ITS FAME SPREAD FAR AND WIDE.

GERALD MORGAN HAS STUDIED
AND INVESTIGATED

THE CLAIMS OF THE NANTEOS CUP
FOR OVER 30 YEARS

AND REMEMBERS SEEING
THE ORIGINAL CUP

ON DISPLAY INSIDE THE HOUSE.

OH, THIS IS THE ROOM

WHERE I REMEMBER COMING
TO SEE THE SIDEBOARD HERE...

WHERE THE CUP

WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE
SIDEBOARD, AS I REMEMBER IT.

Theakston: SO, THIS IS
WHERE YOU FIRST SAW THE CUP?

OH, YEAH.
HERE IN THIS CORNER.

AND IS THIS IT HERE?

THAT'S A GOOD PHOTOGRAPH
OF IT.

IT DOESN'T LOOK MUCH
LIKE A CUP.

I MEAN, IT'S...
IT'S QUITE BADLY DAMAGED.

WELL, THIS IS THE RIM.
AND IT WOULD HAVE GONE...

NEARLY HALF
THE CUP HAS BEEN LOST.

THE BASE IS STILL THERE,
BUT NEARLY HALF THE CUP

HAS BEEN LOST.
IT'S BEEN BROKEN.

IT WAS PROBABLY BROKEN
A VERY LONG TIME AGO.

AND OF COURSE,
THE LEGEND GREW UP

THAT ALL OF THIS WAS
CAUSED BY PEOPLE NIBBLING IT.

WELL,
BECAUSE THEY WANTED BITS,

PRESUMABLY AS SOUVENIRS.

WELL, THIS IS RUBBISH.

IT'S A CLASSIC FOLK LEGEND
TO EXPLAIN A PHENOMENON.

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT
IS A MEDIEVAL MAZER CUP

WHICH PROBABLY HAD A METAL RIM
AROUND THE TOP,

MIGHT EVEN BE SILVER.

IT'S ALMOST CERTAINLY MADE
OF WYCH ELM.

IT'S CERTAINLY NOT
OLIVE WOOD,

WHICH IS VERY TIGHTLY GRAINED
AND A VERY, VERY HARD WOOD.

THIS ISN'T VERY HARD.

YOU CAN SEE
HOW BROAD THE GRAIN IS.

RIGHT.

THERE ARE SO MANY LEGENDS
ABOUT IT

TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THIS
AND JUSTIFY THIS STORY.

BUT CERTAINLY, IT WAS USED
AS A HEALING CUP.

Fanthorpe: THE NANTEOS CUP
IS OF PARTICULAR INTEREST TO ME

BECAUSE
I'VE ACTUALLY HANDLED IT.

AND I'VE TAKEN HOLY WATER
FROM IT,

WHICH I HAVE GIVEN,
WHEN THEY REQUESTED IT,

TO SICK FRIENDS OR PEOPLE
WHO HAD CONTACTED ME ABOUT IT.

NOW, I'VE ALSO SEEN
THE ANCIENT BOOK

IN WHICH THE CUP WAS RECORDED

WHEN IT WENT
IN AND OUT OF THE HOUSEHOLD

TO HELP SOMEBODY SICK.

AND THERE ARE ENTRIES
SUCH AS,

"CUP WAS LENT
TO JOHN THE PLOWMAN."

NEXT DAY,
"HE HAS BROUGHT BACK THE CUP,

HAVING GIVEN HIS WIFE
WATER FROM IT,

AND SHE IS NOW MUCH BETTER
AFTER THE FEVER."

AND THERE'S A WHOLE BOOK
OF THESE ENTRIES,

OF WHERE WATER FROM THE CUP
HAS ALLEGEDLY DONE GOOD.

Butler:
I KNOW IN A LOT OF THE CASES,

UM, THE PEOPLE WHO COME TO DRINK
OUT OF THESE CUPS, UM,

ARE QUITE OFTEN HEALED

AND HEALED
FROM VERY GENUINE COMPLAINTS.

NOW, IS IT THEIR OWN FAITH

THAT'S HEALED THEM, OR IS IT
SOMETHING MORE GOING ON?

Cox: YOU HAVE THESE CUPS THAT
ARE ASSOCIATED WITH MIRACLES

AND VARIOUS MIRACULOUS ACTS
AND HEALING.

AND IT'S
ALL AN AGENDA-DRIVEN EXERCISE.

THESE TEND TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH CHRISTIAN

OR WITH MODERN RELIGIOUS IDEALS.

AND SO, IF YOU'RE A BELIEVER,
THEN THE CUP IS SPECIAL.

IF YOU'RE A BELIEVER,
THEN YOU WILL HAVE THE MIRACLE

BECAUSE MIRACLES RELY ON YOU,

THE PERSON, THE OBSERVER, OR THE
PERSON WHO'S GETTING THE MIRACLE

ACTUALLY WANTING IT, OWNING IT,
AND BELIEVING IT

BECAUSE,
IF YOU DON'T, IT DOESN'T.

Theakston:
THE OTHER GRAILS LOOK NICE,
AND THEY'RE PRETTY CHALICES,

BUT THIS SEEMS TO ACTUALLY HAVE
A BENEFIT TO ITS BODY.

YES, THAT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE
BELIEVE IN IT.

IT'S NOTHING TO DO

WITH IT HAVING BEEN
IN THE HANDS OF JESUS

BECAUSE IT NEVER WAS.

IT WAS ONLY MADE ABOUT 500 YEARS
AGO AT THE MOST.

BUT YOU DON'T DOUBT
ITS HEALING PROPERTIES.

NO, I'VE MET SOMEBODY

WHO GENUINELY CLAIMS
TO HAVE BEEN HEALED.

I BELIEVE HER WHEN SHE SAYS
SHE WAS HEALED BY IT.

WHY NOT?

Narrator:
THE DEEPER JAMIE DELVED
INTO THIS REMARKABLE STORY,

THE MORE MYSTERIOUS IT GOT.

WHY WERE COPIES
OF THE NANTEOS CUP MADE?

WHY WAS THE ORIGINAL CUP
SMUGGLED OUT OF WALES.

AND WHERE IS IT TODAY?

STARTLING REVELATIONS WHEN
"FORBIDDEN HISTORY" RETURNS.

Narrator:
JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON

IS ON THE HUNT
FOR THE REAL HOLY GRAIL,

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY CUPS
AND CHALICES

THAT CLAIM THAT TITLE.

WHICH, IF ANY, ARE TRUE?

SO FAR,
HE HAS BEEN SHOWN A SMALL,

EGG-CUP-SHAPED OINTMENT JAR

THAT IS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
USED BY MARY MAGDALENE

TO CATCH THE BLOOD OF JESUS
AFTER THE CRUCIFIXION.

AND NOW HE HAS COME TO WALES

TO EXAMINE
A SMALL WOODEN DRINKING BOWL

THAT IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT BACK TO BRITAIN

FROM THE LAST SUPPER

BY JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA,
JESUS' UNCLE.

IT'S SAID TO HAVE
AMAZING HEALING POWERS

FROM THOSE
WHO HAVE DRUNK FROM IT.

SO, COULD THIS LITTLE
BROKEN BOWL BE THE REAL THING?

Theakston:
AS FAR AS YOU'RE CONCERNED,

THIS WAS THE CUP THAT JESUS
DRANK FROM AT THE LAST SUPPER.

Mirylees: YES.

NIGEL JONES, THE CHEF

AND GENERAL MANAGER
OF NANTEOS HOUSE,

BELIEVES THAT HE SPOTTED
SOME DISCREPANCIES

BETWEEN TWO HISTORICAL
PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE CUP.

AND HE WANTS TO SHOW THEM
TO JAMIE

TO SEE WHAT HE MAKES OF THEM.

Theakston: THAT'S THE DAMAGE
THERE, RIGHT?

Jones: IT'S SIMILAR
TO THE DAMAGE THERE,

BUT IT'S NOT THE SAME, IS IT?
IT ISN'T THE SAME.

SO, WHICH IS THE REAL ONE?

I BELIEVE
THIS IS THE REAL ONE,

AND THAT'S THE COPY.

WHY DID THEY MAKE A COPY?

THE POWELLS MADE A COPY BECAUSE,
WITH PEOPLE DRINKING FROM IT,

THEY USED TO NIBBLE BITS OFF,
AND IT BECAME TOO DAMAGED.

AND SO, TO PRESERVE IT,
THEY HAD A COPY MADE.

IS IT HERE IN THE HOUSE?

THAT COPY
IS NOT IN THE HOUSE.

THERE IS ANOTHER ONE.

OKAY. CAN I SEE THAT ONE?
YEAH, SURE.

SAFELY KEPT IN A JIFFY BAG.

I DIDN'T THINK I WAS GOING
TO FIND THE HOLY GRAIL

IN A JIFFY BAG.

RIGHT.
SO, THIS IS A REPLICA.

IT'S A REPLICA
OF A SIMILAR CUP. YEAH.

RIGHT. OKAY.
IT'S EXTRAORDINARY.

[ BIRDS CAWING ]

THE PLOT WAS GETTING THICKER.

FROM WHAT JAMIE HAD FOUND OUT,
THERE WAS AN ORIGINAL CUP,

WHICH WAS TO SUPPOSED TO HAVE
COME BACK FROM THE HOLY LAND

VIA GLASTONBURY TO WALES.

MRS. POWELL THEN MADE A COPY
OF IT

ONCE PEOPLE
STARTED BITING PIECES OFF,

HENCE THE DISCREPANCIES
IN THE PHOTOS.

BUT TODAY,
NEITHER ARE IN NANTEOS,

JUST THE REPLICA
IN THE PAPER BAG.

SO, WHERE IS THE ORIGINAL CUP?

JAMIE WAS TOLD THAT IT'S KEPT

BY A DESCENDANT
OF THE MIRYLEES FAMILY,

WHO INHERITED NANTEOS
FROM THE POWELLS

AND IS RARELY EVER SEEN.

BUT WHEN HE EXPLAINED HIS QUEST
TO HER,

FIONA MIRYLEES AGREED TO LET
HIM SEE THE CUP

AS WELL AS THE ACTUAL
WRITTEN RECORDS OF HEALINGS

THAT ARE KEPT WITH IT.

YOU... YOU BELIEVE
THAT THIS IS 2,000 YEARS OLD.

YES.

WHY DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S THE CUP
FROM THE LAST SUPPER?

WELL,
IT HAS SUCH AMAZING POWERS.

IN IT, YOU CAN SEE,
LIKE, A COMMUNION CUP.

CAN I... CAN I TOUCH IT?

ONLY VERY GENTLY.
VERY GENTLY.

WELL, CAN I... IF I JUST...
DO YOU MIND ME DOING THIS?

I'LL KEEP IT IN THE GLASS.
YEAH.

IF I CAN OPEN THIS,
IS THAT ALL RIGHT?

JUST LEAVE IT THERE.

OKAY. FAIR ENOUGH. I UNDERSTAND.
IT'S VERY...

IS IT QUITE FRAGILE?
YES.

DO PEOPLE
PUT BITS OF PAPER IN IT?

UM, THESE ARE THE CURES.

DO YOU WANT ME TO... I'LL HOLD
THE BOOKS FOR YOU THERE.

YEAH.

AND SO,
WHAT ACTUALLY ARE THESE?

CAN I HOLD THIS?
YES.

SO, THIS IS DATED
31st OF MAY, 1858.

FOR THE USE
OF THE WIFE OF JAMES MORGAN.

CURED.

SO, WHAT DID THESE ACTUALLY
MEAN, THESE BITS OF PAPER?

WELL, THEY'VE DRANK THE WATER
FROM THE CUP,

AND THEY'RE CURED.

RIGHT. OKAY.

AND THIS... THIS IS FROM,
WELL, 150 YEARS AGO?

THAT'S RIGHT.

DO YOU BELIEVE
THAT THIS IS THE HOLY GRAIL?

YES.
YES, I DO.

AND WHY DO YOU THINK THAT?

WELL, I HAVE SEEN
A LOT OF PEOPLE CURED.

AND IT HAS A MARVELOUS FEELING
TO IT.

HAS ANY ANALYSIS
BEEN DONE ON THE CUP

TO PROVE HOW OLD IT IS?

UM, NO.

MY MOTHER ALWAYS SAID
SHE DIDN'T WANT CARBON DATING.

WHY IS THAT?

WELL, SHE JUST THOUGHT
PEOPLE SHOULD BELIEVE IN IT.

BUT AS FAR
AS YOU'RE CONCERNED,

THIS WAS THE CUP THAT JESUS
DRANK FROM AT THE LAST SUPPER.

YES.

IF A PERSON WAS TO DRINK
FROM ONE OF THESE CUPS,

AND THEY WERE HEALED,
LIKE INTERACTING WITH ANY RELIC,

IT BECOMES TRUE FOR YOU.

SO IT MAY BE THAT THAT'S
A SPIRITUAL PATH TO YOUR GOD,

BUT IT'S A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN YOU AND YOUR GOD

AND AN OBJECT THAT YOU
EMPOWER AND GIVE THE POWER TO

AND BELIEVE THAT CAN ACTION
THAT, CAN ENABLE THAT.

THEN THAT WILL BECOME YOUR GRAIL
IN A WAY.

THAT BECOMES REAL FOR YOU.

Picknett:
IF YOU DRINK FROM A GRAIL,

A CUP THAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE
ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOLY GRAIL,

AND, YOU KNOW, YOUR MIGRAINE
STOPS IMMEDIATELY

OR, YOU KNOW, YOU GROW
ANOTHER LEG OR SOMETHING,

OBVIOUSLY IT'S THE HOLY GRAIL
FOR YOU.

IT'S WHAT MATTERS TO YOU.

AND IT'S
A PERSONAL ASSOCIATION.

IT'S AN INTIMATE CONNECTION

WITH THE MAGICAL LEVEL
OF THE GRAIL.

Narrator: FIONA MIRYLEES
HAS AN UNSHAKABLE FAITH

THAT THE CUP IN HER POSSESSION
IS THE REAL HOLY GRAIL.

BUT MAYBE THE LOCAL HISTORIAN

GERALD MORGAN'S VERSION OF
EVENTS WAS CLOSER TO THE TRUTH.

HE BELIEVES THAT MRS. POWELL
WAS IN POSSESSION

OF AN OLD MEDIEVAL BOWL

AROUND WHICH A WHOLE GRAIL SAGA
WAS WEAVED,

CREATING THE MYTH WE HAVE TODAY.

BUT IS THERE ANY DECENT EVIDENCE
THAT THIS SMALL BROWN BOWL

WAS EVER IN THE HANDS OF JOSEPH
OF ARIMATHEA, LET ALONE JESUS?

UNFORTUNATELY, NO.

IT'S A NICE STORY AND ONE
THAT'S CONVINCED ENOUGH PEOPLE

TO ACTUALLY BITE CHUNKS
OUT OF THE CUP OVER THE YEARS.

BUT IS THIS REALLY
THE HOLY GRAIL?

MOST PEOPLE REMAIN UNCONVINCED.

NEXT ON JAMIE'S LIST IS NOT SO
MUCH A GRAIL AS A GRAIL CLUE.

AT SHUGBOROUGH HALL
IN STAFFORDSHIRE,

THERE'S A PECULIAR
STONE MONUMENT IN ITS GROUNDS

THAT SOME CLAIM
CONTAINS A HIDDEN CLUE

AS TO WHAT AND WHERE
THE TRUE HOLY GRAIL IS.

IT WAS BUILT
IN THE EARLY 18th CENTURY

BY A WEALTHY LANDOWNER
CALLED THOMAS ANSON,

THE SON OF A FAMOUS ADMIRAL,

WHO WAS SAID TO HAVE CAPTURED
A VAST SPANISH TREASURE.

IT DEPICTS A PAINTING CALLED
"THE SHEPHERDS OF ARCADIA"

BY NICOLAS POUSSIN,

WHERE THREE MEN AND A WOMAN
ALL POINT TO A TOMB.

BUT HERE,
FOR NO APPARENT REASON,

IT'S CARVED IN BAS-RELIEF
IN REVERSE.

MOST CURIOUS OF ALL ARE A SERIES
OF EIGHT LETTERS

ON THE BASE OF THE MONUMENT
WHICH HAVE, SO FAR,

ELUDED ALL ATTEMPTS
TO DECODE THEM.

EVEN CHARLES DICKENS
MADE AN ATTEMPT.

BRETT HARRISON WORKS
FOR SHUGBOROUGH HALL

AND HAS BECOME SOMETHING
OF AN EXPERT ON THE MONUMENT.

HE THINKS THERE COULD WELL
BE A NUMBER OF CLUES

TO THE HOLY GRAIL
HIDDEN IN THE STONE CARVINGS,

POSSIBLY LEADING
TO THE TOMB OF JESUS.

IT'S A CLASSICAL SETTING,
BUT WHAT'S THE GRAIL CONNECTION?

WELL, IF YOU REMEMBER, JESUS
WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SHEPHERD...

SHEPHERD OF THE FLOCK.

THE FLOCK BEING PEOPLE,
MORE PEOPLE.

SO, THE SHEPHERDS
GUARDING THE TOMB.

ARE THEY?

REMEMBER THE POUSSIN PAINTING
WAS REVERSED;

THE SHEPHERDESS IS.

UH, THE TOMB
COULD BE WHERE THE GRAIL IS.

SO YOU'RE SUGGESTING
THAT THE TOMB OF JESUS

COULD BE THE GRAIL
AS OPPOSED TO A CUP.

AS THE HOLY GRAIL
OR AS A CONCEPT,

OR YOU CAN BRING IN
SOME PEOPLE

AS TO THEIR MARY MAGDALENE SIDE,
AS WELL.

IS SHE THE GRAIL?
DOES SHE CONTAIN THE SPIRIT?

YOU CAN GO OFF
ON THAT ANGLE, AS WELL.

OR YOU CAN PUT YOUR OWN THEORIES
TO IT.

AND OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TRIED
TO BREAK THIS CODE, AS WELL,

THINKING THIS IS A CODE.

EXPLAIN TO ME WHY THESE LETTERS
HAVE FASCINATED PEOPLE

WHO TRIED TO ANSWER
THE GRAIL MYSTERY.

IT'S 18th CENTURY. IT'S RIDDLES.
THEY'RE LOVING RIDDLES.

SO THEY'RE TRYING
TO CONVEY A MESSAGE.

IT MAY WELL BE THAT SOMETHING
HAS BEEN PUT IN

AFTER THOMAS
HAS DONE HIS GRAND TOUR.

HE'S SEEN SOMETHING ELSE,
AND THESE HAVE BEEN ADDED.

YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW
WHAT THEY MEAN,

BUT SOMEONE IN 1750s AND '60s
WHO WAS WELL-TRAVELED

AND AS KNOWLEDGEABLE
AS YOU

WOULD KNOW
EXACTLY WHAT THAT MEANS.

Fanthorpe:
ON THE MONUMENT ITSELF,

WE HAVE THREE SHEPHERDS
AND A SHEPHERDESS.

ON THE SIDE OF THE TOMB
AROUND WHICH THEY STAND

IS THE MESSAGE,
"ET IN ARCADIA EGO."

ONE OF THE TRANSLATIONS IS,

"I, TOO, AM IN ARCADIA."

AND IF WE TAKE THE IDEA
OF ARCADIA AS BEING PARADISE,

THEN THE MESSAGE
OF THE SHUGBOROUGH MONUMENT

IS THAT THE HOLY GRAIL
IS IN ANOTHER WORLD.

Howells:
I THINK THE SHUGBOROUGH MONUMENT
GIVES THE LOCATION.

I THINK, IT'S A CODE
TOWARDS A SPECIFIC PLACE.

I THINK IT'S PART
OF A TRADITION OF WHAT'S CALLED

THE UNDERGROUND STREAM
OF KNOWLEDGE AND INFORMATION

AND PROOF OF, PERHAPS,
ALTERNATIVE VERSIONS

OF CHRISTIANITY,
OF ALTERNATIVE IDEAS.

AND I THINK THESE OBJECTS
AND DOCUMENTS, UH,

WOULD HAVE BEEN PASSED ON
THROUGH FAMILIES

AND WOULD HAVE BEEN SECRETED
IN SPECIFIC PLACES.

AND SHUGBOROUGH MONUMENT
IS ENCODED TO MAYBE MOVE PEOPLE

ON TO THE NEXT LOCATION.

Picknett: NOBODY KNOWS
WHAT THE INSCRIPTION MEANS.

UM, IT PROBABLY IS SOMETHING
TO DO WITH THE FAMILY

THAT THE FAMILY THEMSELVES
HAVE FORGOTTEN.

THIS HAPPENS.

THEY EVEN BROUGHT IN FORMER
BLETCHLEY PARK CODE-BREAKERS.

AND THEY COULDN'T
GET A HANDLE ON IT AT ALL.

UM, SO IF THEY CAN'T DO IT,

I'M SURE I DON'T KNOW
OF ANYBODY WHO CAN.

IS THIS HELPING ME UNDERSTAND
WHAT THE GRAIL IS OR MIGHT BE?

IT MIGHT BE HELPING YOU GO
IN A DIFFERENT DIRECTION

OR SEVERAL
DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS.

IT COULD BE
THAT THE GRAIL

IS A TOMB CONTAINING JESUS.

IT MIGHT CONTAIN
MARY MAGDALENE.

IT MIGHT NOT BE A CUP.

IT MIGHT BE A CONCEPT.

SO IT MAY BE
WHATEVER YOUR HOLY GRAIL IS,

WHATEVER YOUR BELIEF.

THIS COULD POINT YOU
IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

Narrator:
THE FINAL GRAIL ON JAMIE'S QUEST
IS IN VALENCIA IN SPAIN.

IT'S A SMALL STONE CUP
CALLED THE SANTO CALIZ,

AND IT'S KEPT UNDER TIGHT
SECURITY IN VALENCIA CATHEDRAL.

ACCORDING TO THE LEGEND,
THE CUP WAS USED BY JESUS

AND HIS DISCIPLES
AT THE LAST SUPPER.

IT WAS THEN BROUGHT BACK
FROM THE HOLY LAND TO SPAIN

BY THE CRUSADERS
IN THE 12th CENTURY,

WHERE IT WAS HIDDEN
IN THE CLIFFTOP MONASTERY

OF SAN JUAN DE LA PEÑA

BEFORE BEING BROUGHT
TO VALENCIA CENTURIES LATER.

THE CUP HAS BEEN ANALYZED AND
DATED TO THE 1st CENTURY A.D.,

GIVING IT A GOOD PROVIDENCE.

BUT WHAT MAKES THE SANTO CALIZ
SO EXTRAORDINARY

IS THAT IT HAS BEEN USED
TO CELEBRATE MASS BY NOT ONE,

BUT TWO POPES... JOHN PAUL II
AND BENEDICT XVI.

Gough: THIS IS A CUP
THAT'S HISTORICALLY TRACEABLE

IN LITERATURE AND ART
TO THE 3rd CENTURY A.D.

AND WHICH WAS TAKEN TO SPAIN.

AND CASTLES AND FORTRESSES
WERE BUILT TO PROTECT IT.

JACA, SAN JUAN DE LA PEÑA,

HUESCA, ZARAGOZA,
AND TODAY IN VALENCIA.

AND, IN FACT, RECENT TIMES,
POPES HAVE KISSED IT.

AND SO, OF ALL THE CUPS
AND CHALICES,

THE ONE IN VALENCIA, YOU KNOW,
THAT'S DARN INTERESTING.

Prince: THE CUP IN WHICH
THE WHOLE THING IS BUILT AROUND

IS FROM THE RIGHT DATE
AND FROM ABOUT THE RIGHT PLACE.

HUGE DOUBTS ABOUT WHETHER

THAT THEREFORE MAKES IT
THE CUP OF THE LAST SUPPER

BECAUSE, HOW DID IT GET THERE?

THERE'S NO STORY OF HOW IT
GOT FROM THE 1st CENTURY TO,

I THINK IT WAS THE 11th CENTURY

WAS THE FIRST TIME THIS ACTUALLY
APPEARS IN DOCUMENTS.

Picknett:
WHEN TWO DIFFERENT POPES

HAVE ACTUALLY USED
THE VALENCIA CUP IN MASS

THEY ARE TACITLY OF COURSE
ENDORSING IT.

THEY ARE SAYING,
"THIS IS SPECIAL,"

AND ALLOWING PEOPLE

TO PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER
AND MAKE FIVE, BASICALLY,

AND SAY,
"THIS IS THE HOLY GRAIL."

Narrator: IS THIS LITTLE
STONE CUP IN VALENCIA CATHEDRAL

THE TRUE HOLY GRAIL?

WHY DOES THE VATICAN BELIEVE
THAT IT WAS THE ACTUAL CUP

THAT JESUS
DRANK FROM 2,000 YEARS AGO?

AND WHY IS IT KEPT
UNDER SUCH TIGHT SECURITY TODAY?

THE TRUTH IS REVEALED.

COMING UP IN THE EXPLOSIVE FINAL
PART OF "FORBIDDEN HISTORY."

Narrator:
JOURNALIST JAMIE THEAKSTON

HAS BEEN ON A QUEST
TO FIND THE REAL HOLY GRAIL.

IT'S TAKEN HIM TO SHROPSHIRE
IN ENGLAND AND THE SMALL,

EGG-CUP-SHAPED HAWKSTONE CUP

MADE OF GREEN ALABASTER

THAT WAS SAID TO HAVE BEEN
USED BY MARY MAGDALENE

TO CATCH THE BLOOD OF JESUS
FROM THE CRUCIFIXION;

AND THEN THE NANTEOS CUP,

A WOODEN DRINKING BOWL

BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN
BROUGHT BACK TO BRITAIN

BY JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA
FROM THE LAST SUPPER.

AND NOW, HIS FINAL STOP

IS VALENCIA IN SPAIN
TO SEE THE SANTO CALIZ,

A SMALL, POLISHED STONE CUP

THAT THE VATICAN BELIEVES
IS THE REAL THING.

AS BEFITTING
WHAT THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

BELIEVES
IS THE ACTUAL HOLY GRAIL,

THE SANTO CALIZ IS KEPT
IN ITS OWN GRAIL CHAPEL

IN THE CATHEDRAL

WITH ITS OWN GROUP
OF GRAIL PRIESTS GUARDING IT.

THE MAN WHO IS CHARGED
WITH PROTECTING THE GRAIL

IS CANON JAIME SANCHO.

WOW.

THIS IS MORE LIKE IT.

WHY DOES THE CHURCH BELIEVE THIS
TO BE THE REAL HOLY GRAIL?

Fanthorpe:
WHEN PEOPLE CAN GO ON PILGRIMAGE
TO SEE A HOLY OBJECT,

THEY WILL BELIEVE THAT THEY HAVE
BEEN BLESSED BY LOOKING AT IT.

AND WE COME TO THAT OLD QUESTION
AGAIN OF THE POWER OF THE MIND.

IF YOU BELIEVE
THAT A CERTAIN OBJECT

WHICH YOU HAVE JUST SEEN
OR HANDLED, I MEAN, UH,

AS I HANDLED THE NANTEOS CUP,

UH, YOU DO FEEL A CERTAIN SENSE
OF WELL-BEING

BECAUSE YOU'VE HAD THIS GOOD
AND SACRED HOLY OBJECT

IN YOUR HANDS
OR AT LEAST VERY CLOSE TO YOU

WHEN YOU'VE LOOKED AT THE GLASS
OF THE CASE IN WHICH IT'S HELD.

Picknett:
THE ENDORSEMENT, OR THE TACIT
ENDORSEMENT OF THE VALENCIA CUP,

HAS TO BE GOOD
FOR THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.

IT SAYS, "LOOK, WE'VE GOT IT.
NOBODY ELSE HAS GOT IT.

NO OTHER CHURCH HAS GOT IT.
WE'VE GOT IT.

WE CAN LAY OUR HANDS ON IT.

THIS IS THE CUP THAT JESUS USED.

THE POPE IS USING IT.

HURRAH."

DURING MY QUEST, I'VE SEEN A LOT
OF DIFFERENT CUPS AND CHALICES.

IS THIS THE CLOSEST I'M GOING
TO GET TO THE REAL THING.

Picknett:
RELICS ARE INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT
TO THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

BECAUSE OF THE EFFECT
THEY PRODUCE.

JUST TALKING ABOUT THEM PRODUCES
IN THE MIND OF THE BELIEVERS.

BASICALLY, IT PULLS
THE WHOLE CHURCH TOGETHER.

AND IT SAYS, "LOOK,

WE ARE IN CONTROL
OF THE JESUS STORY,

WHICH IS REAL BY THE WAY
BECAUSE,

LOOK, WE HAVE THIS THING
THAT JESUS HELD HIMSELF."

Fanthorpe:
IT'S DIFFICULT TO DECIDE
WHICH OF THE NUMEROUS CONTENDERS

FOR THE TITLE MIGHT BE
THE REAL HOLY GRAIL,

THE REAL CUP FROM WHICH

CHRIST AND THE DISCIPLES
DRANK AT THE LAST SUPPER.

ON THE OTHER HAND,

THE VENERATION
FOR THE RIGHT REASON

OF ANY OF THOSE HOLY OBJECTS
IS A GOOD THING,

RATHER THAN A BAD ONE.

MY BEST GUESS
WOULD BE FOR VALENCIA.

IF I WAS COMPELLED TO SAY
WHICH MY FAVORITE WAS,

THAT'S THE ONE I WOULD GO FOR.

BUT I WOULDN'T REALLY WANT
TO PUT MONEY ON IT.

Narrator: JAMIE'S QUEST
TO FIND THE ONE TRUE HOLY GRAIL

HAS TAKEN HIM FROM
HAWKSTONE PARK IN SHROPSHIRE,

THROUGH TO ABERGAVENNY IN WALES,

THE SHUGBOROUGH MONUMENT
IN ENGLAND.

AND NOW, TO VALENCIA IN SPAIN.

ALL OF THE CUPS HE WAS SHOWN

HAVE THEIR OWN FASCINATING
STORY, THEIR OWN HISTORY,

THEIR OWN CLAIMS
OF AUTHENTICITY.

BUT WHICH ONE,
IF ANY, IS THE REAL HOLY GRAIL?

THE TRUTH IS THEY ALL REQUIRE
A LEAP OF FAITH,

A BELIEF IN THE IDEA
OF A GRAIL EXISTING AT ALL.

BUT THE STRONGEST EVIDENCE

AND THE BEST PROVENANCE SEEMS
TO POINT TO THE SANTO CALIZ.

THERE'S NO DEFINITIVE PROOF,

BUT IT'S POSSIBLE
THAT THE LITTLE STONE CUP

LOCKED AWAY INSIDE THE CATHEDRAL

COULD HAVE BEEN DRUNK
FROM BY JESUS CHRIST

2,000 YEARS AGO.