Chalices

A chalice is a standing cup used to hold at the beginning of the Holy Eucharist (also called the Lord's Supper or Holy Communion) sacramental wine and water and at the end of the service – the Holy Body and the Blood of the Lord. Chalices are often made of precious metal, and they are sometimes richly enameled and jeweled.
In the Orthodox Church, chalices will often have icons enameled or engraved on them, as well as a cross. In Orthodoxy, all communicants receive both the Body of Christ and the Blood of Christ. To accomplish this, the Lamb (Host) is placed in the chalice, and then the faithful receive Communion on a spoon. For this reason, Orthodox chalices tend to have larger, rounded cups. In the Russian Orthodox Church, the faithful will often kiss the "foot" (base) of the chalice after receiving Holy Communion. In other traditions, they will kiss the cup. Although Orthodox monks are not permitted to hold personal possessions, the canons permit a hieromonk (monk who has been ordained to the priesthood) to keep a chalice and other vessels necessary to celebrate the Divine Liturgy.
In the early and medieval church, when a deacon was ordained, he would be handed a chalice during the service as a sign of his ministry. Early written accounts of the ordination of deaconesses also reflect this practice. In the West the deacon carries the chalice to the altar at the offertory; in the East, the priest carries the chalice. Only wine and water are permitted to be placed in the chalice. In the Holy Church, the chalice is considered to be one of the most sacred vessels in Christian liturgical worship, and it is always blessed before use. After being blessed, the chalice may only be touched by an ordained member of the clergy.
Istok Church Supplies offers complete liturgical gold-plated chalice sets as well as separate gold-plated chalices decorated with hand-written enameled icons.

(Partial source: Wikipedia.)