medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture
> BTW I'd be interested in a comment on "putting poison in a chalice".
> Attempted murder is a sin, yes ? But putting poison in wine intended for the
> Communion would surely be adding sacriledge to the sin of (attempted)
> murder. It would also presume that only the celebrant would be partaking in
> both kinds - otherwise the deacon, sub-deacon and the acolytes might die
> also - unless the poison was very quick acting. Are there any reported cases
> where this offence was committed, the victim drank and did not die and the
> escape was attributed to miraculous intervention ?
Dear Brenda,
It's not exactly that, but it might certainly be considered relevant that St John the
Evangelist was commonly represented during the later Middle Ages with the
attribute of a chalice of poisoned wine, the poison being indicated by a small
serpent popping its head out of the chalice. It was, in any case, certainly a
miraculous circumstance that he drank said poisoned wine with no ill effects.
Cheers,
Jim Bugslag
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