For the ordinary layman hearing about communion cups, the first thing that comes to mind is Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
There is no denying the fact that pop culture has portrayed some of the most significant religious items in a very unorthodox manner, however, the great thing is that because of this they have allowed ordinary people to get acquainted with these same religious items.
In the movie, Indiana Jones was looking for Jesus' cup. For believers, this is called the Holy Grail, the ultimate communion cup which was used by Christ himself.
In literature and some Christian traditions, the Holy Grail did not just mean that cup of Christ, but also stood for the dish and plate used by Jesus at the Last Supper he had with his disciples.
However, over the centuries, the Holy Grail came to stand for the cup that Jesus used and what we now call the communion cup.
Of course, even if people are familiar with it, the usage of communion cups varies all over the world. Most cups are also created using different materials depending on the country and people that are using it.
Today, we have come a long way from the glass communion cups that were used before during communion masses. Some small congregations still use glass cups, but it's a very time consuming process to have to wash each cup after service. Hence, most churches, especially big ones, go for plastic communion cups instead.
No matter what communion cups are made for, they serve one major purpose, and that is to symbolize the faith that people have in Christ.
Some churches that are small in size still prefer to use glass cups, even if it can take time in washing up. Because of this, plastic communion cups are more favorable for churches that have a bigger congregation.
In the end, one important purpose for the communion cups that we use is to represent the blood that Christ shed on our behalf. Thus, no matter what they are made of, they are an integral part of the Christian faith.
Even if the Bible does not offer the cup during the Last Supper dinner or make any significance about it, believers still uphold it as a sacred item. Pilgrims in Jerusalem believed that another significant cup was still venerated in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
The chalice or a symbolized form for the Holy Grail is definitely a major part of the church. In fact, for some churches, they are often blessed before they are used.
Even though the cup in the Last Supper was hardly mentioned, people still gave it plenty of significance and uphold it as a sacred item. Another cup was also revered by Pilgrims in Jerusalem which was supposedly stored in the Holy Sepulcher.
Of course, legends and stories about the exact Holy Grail have sifted through and became muddled through the years. Whatever the truth may be, there is no denying the fact that the significance of communion cups in today's Christian celebrations and among believers is still as strong as ever.