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Sir Galahad the Pure

© Linda Casselman

Our long journey on our quest to find the knight who found the Holy Grail ends this week. We began with the courteous Sir Gawain and moved on to Sir Percival, then to Sir Tristan and brave Sir Lancelot. We conclude our quest now with a closer look at the pure Sir Galahad.

Raised by a group of 12 nuns, Sir Galahad was the son of Sir Lancelot. The nuns told Lancelot that he should make Galahad a knight for no other was so deserving of that honour and title.

When the time came, Galahad entered King Arthur's court accompanied by a hermit. He looked around the Round Table and found one empty seat - the siege perilous - the seat that was foretold would be occupied by the pure knight who would find the Holy Grail. Other poor souls attempted to sit in this chair, but they were instantly swallowed by the earth. Sir Galahad took this seat, and the circle of knights was complete. Almost immediately, the presence of the Grail was felt in the great hall, indeed in Camelot.

The Knights of the Round Table's quest for the Holy Grail began.

On his journey, Sir Galahad met up with Sir Percival and Sir Bors. Together they reached Castle Carbonek and found the Grail. They all rejoiced in a splendid vision of the Grail, but only Sir Galahad saw it in its entirety.

The three knights received the blessed sacrament from Joseph of Arimathea (the wealthy man who allowed Christ to be placed in his tomb) himself. He told Galahad to take a bleeding spear to the castle of the Maimed King and to rub it all over his body to heal the king. Sir Galahad obeyed and devoutly set off on this mission. Once he accomplished this task, Galahad saw the Grail in another vision so he prayed and prayed that he would leave the mortal world to attain heavenly peace. A wondrous voice reassured Galahad that his soul would indeed live in the next life with Christ, but the time was not yet right to grant this wish.

Time passed... Miracles happened... And Galahad was even a king for a time while he waited for the moment of his spiritual release. Then at last, Joseph of Arimathea returned to him. He allowed Galahad to touch the Grail, and as he knelt to pray for his deliverance Galahad's soul was instantly released from his body; angels bore it to heaven.

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