Chalice

A silver chalice, consisting of a cup that widens upward on a tall stem with a thickened "apple" (knop) and a round, cone-shaped base. The cup is silver-toned, decorated with three gold-toned medallions depicting "Christ in the Chalice," the Mother of God, and John the Theologian, bordered by bands of floral ornament. The rim is gold-toned; along the upper edge of the cup is the Church Slavonic inscription: "He who eats My body and drinks My blood abides in Me." The stem is shaped, baluster-like, with a faceted central "apple" decorated with vertical fluting. The base of the chalice is stepped, with edges curved outward, decorated with alternating cherubim and bouquets of flowers, leaves, and fruit.

The object belonged to the pre-war (pre-1941) part of the collection of the Historical Museum. It was evacuated in 1941, and returned to Kharkiv in November 1944.

Note: the chalice (potir) is the sacred liturgical cup used to consecrate wine and to celebrate the sacrament of Communion.

The chalice represents the cup given by Jesus Christ to his disciples at the Last Supper, with the words: "Drink of it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."