The Flaming Chalice in a circle, as much as any other, is the symbol of Unitarian Universalism. The flaming chalice is a flame burning the holy oil of helpfulness and sacrifice - spreading warmth and light and hope. The circle in which it is contained represents our Universalist heritage with its concept of world wide community.
Origin of the flaming chalice: The original flaming chalice was adopted by the Unitarian Service Committee in 1941. Its story is an interesting one.
Hans Deutsch was an Austrian refugee who lived in Paris until France was invaded in 1940. He had worked in many European countries as musician, draftsman and portrait artist. Having contributed many cartoons of very unflattering contents (concerning Hitlerism) to several papers in Vienna, he fled Paris and finally settled in Portugal. To earn a living he gave lessons in English (he spoke eight languages) and drew portraits.
It was in Portugal that Hans Deutsch joined the staff of the Unitarian Service Committee for a period of six months as secretary and assistant to Dr. Charles E. Joy, then the Executive Director of USC.
Dr. Joy asked his new assistant to work in his spare time on a symbol for the Committee. The Flaming Chalice was created as a response to this request and it was given to the Committee by the artist in appreciation of its humanitarian work.
When Hans Deutsch was threatened with imprisonment in Portugal in June 1941, the USC assisted him in escaping to the United States.
Later the chalice was redesigned and made the official symbol of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
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