A chalice is the central sacred vessel of the Catholic church in which the priest consecrates wine during the service of Mass. This chalice would have been originally accompanied by a paten (dish) for the consecrated bread. According to Catholic belief the wine and bread are miraculously transformed into the blood and body of Christ during the Mass. The bowls of silver chalices are usually gilded inside, to emphasize the precious nature of their contents and to protect the metal.

The wavy outline of this chalice's base was a common feature of Catalan goldsmiths. More original, however, is the design of the knop (the bulbous section on the stem) which resembles ribbed beads from a rosary (a chain of beads used by Catholics as an aide-memoire to help count through a sequence of prayers). This decorative feature is repeated further down the stem. The chalice may have belonged to a Church associated with the Dominican order, since the attribute or symbol associated with Saint Dominic (who founded the Order), is a rosary.