Chalice

Silver 925, Partial Gold Plating / 240 x120x120mm

Journeyman‘s project in silversmithing: communion cup with screw-joint.

In the creation of this chalice, the idea of “togetherness” played a fundamental role. Calix is the Latin word for a sacral goblet designed for communal use. Many will come to drink from it. The blades supporting the cup symbolize the members of the community joined together and supporting each other, carrying much more than one alone could bear. The community makes the church. Without believers, there is no church. As opposed to the House of God, a community of believers is defined by the phrase „For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.“ In this respect, the Christian Faith differs from other religions. Not the believers come in search of their God and seek refuge in His House, but God is where the believers are gathered in His name.

The technical difficulty in the creation of this goblet lies in the 12 blades. Were sheets of this dimension heated, it would cause them to buckle. Thus, they had to be inserted into each other at the bottom and joined by rivets at the top. The insertion is difficult since the surfaces are inclined in a 30° angle relative to each other. In addition, the slots must be narrower towards the top as the surfaces meet in an angle. Slots of this type must be cut and honed by hand, as machine settings would be very time-consuming.