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Summary of Act
3
urnemanz, now an aged hermit, once again finds the
sleeping Kundry, still and apparently
lifeless, in the undergrowth near his hut. As he revives her, a strange knight, in full
armour and carrying a spear, approaches. Gurnemanz reproaches him for bearing arms on this
most holy of days, Good Friday. Then he recognises the sacred
spear and the knight as the boy who had once killed a swan. Parsifal describes
his long and weary wanderings in search of Monsalvat. The hermit reveals that the Community of the Grail has long been in
decay, since Amfortas refuses to uncover
the chalice, and Titurel has died. Parsifal laments that he had arrived too late to
save him. 
urnemanz and Kundry help him to remove his armour. Today shall Parsifal bring healing to the Grail King and take over his office and duties. Gurnemanz first baptizes Parsifal with holy water and then anoints him as
King while Kundry washes his feet. In return,
as his first duty (Mein erstes Amt
), Parsifal baptises her and kisses her on her
forehead. She weeps. Parsifal gazes upon the beauty of the spring meadows. The hermit tells him
that this is the magic of Good Friday, when all creation gives
thanks. The tolling of distant bells summon them to the funeral
rites of Titurel.
n the
hall of the Grail Castle, all is gloom and despair. The knights, long deprived of the divine nourishment, are barely alive
and approach Amfortas threateningly.
Amfortas begs them end his suffering by
taking his life. Parsifal, followed by
Kundry and Gurnemanz, strides into the centre of the hall and touches Amfortas' wound with the sacred spear,
declaring him healed and relieved of his duties. He returns the spear, which begins to bleed. Parsifal orders that the Grail shall be uncovered and raises it aloft as the knights, including Amfortas, kneel in homage. Kundry falls dead at his feet.
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