The Grail has been described as both a cup (or dish) and a stone 'fallen from heaven.' St. Paul spoke of Christ as, 'a Priest in the succession of Melchisedek' by right of his Eucharistic sacrifice instituted at the Last Supper.

MELCHISEDEK: FOUNDER OF THE PRIESTHOOD OF THE WESTERN TRADITION

"Another name that will be found in so many western esoteric traditions is that of Melchisedek. We find that this name is prevalent not only among the Essenes and Gnostics, but also holds a great significance among the Templars, who were agents of the Gnosis. The name Melchisedek is derived from the Hebrew 'Melki Tzaddiq', meaning king or ruler of righteousness."** We read in Genesis 14 of the mysterious king Melchisedek who meets Abraham and of whom St. Paul writes:

"This Melchisedek, King of Salem, priest of God Most High...is, as his title denotes, king of justice and also king of Peace; who is without … origin...this Melchisedek dwells as a Priest in perpetuity."*  We note also that the priesthood of Melchisedek consisted in the offering of bread and wine.

According to the Bible, Melchisedek was born without a father or mother. To the Templars this meant that he was not born on this planet but was a spiritual being who came from elsewhere. The Bible states that Melchisedek gave Abraham bread and wine after the later had conquered the kings of Edom. In the Templar tradition, this relates to a symbolic act of highest importance.

The giving of bread and wine to Abraham is just another way of saying that because Abraham had conquered the warring elements within himself, he had reached the stage where he was ready to take another step on the ladder of evolution. By a direct transmission of some type, Melchisedek initiated Abraham into a new level of consciousness and awareness.  **

To the Templars Melchisedek is one of the key figures of the Order of the Temple.  He is a father figure in the same way that Hiram Abiff is the father figure in the tradition of Freemasonry.  At Chartes (see photo on left) , one of the great French cathedrals, whose construction was sponsored by the Templars, and impressive Stone Carving and a beautiful stained glass window pay homage to Melchisedek, father of the eternal priesthood.

Two symbols have been associated with Melchisedek: wheat and the beehive. wheat symbolizes nourishment, spiritual and physical.  the beehive is a symbol of unity, where many parts work together for the good of the whole.  The six-sided cell of the honeycomb is also representative of the six-rayed star - the star of David - which also symbolizes esoterically the perfect union of the lower and higher aspects of man, the conjunction of two triangles.

Melchisedek, founder of the priesthood for the western Tradition, was described in the Bible texts quoted earlier, as King of Salem.  The name Salem is apparently derived from the Hebrew word Shalom, meaning Peace. The Order of Melchisedek does not exist on a material level.  Any person who has reached the level of spiritual advancement where he or she can make conscious contact with the roots of our spiritual tradition is de facto a member of the Order of Melchisedek.  Any Priest who by his/her spiritual capacity is able to function as a channel for the spiritual energies of the Christ, is a priest after the order of Melchisedek.

*excerpt from:  The Quest for the Holy Grail, Lecture 2 )

 excerpt from** THE SONS OF ZADOK AND THE CHRISTIAN GNOSIS in the Grail Archives

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