How can I create documents in LaTeX using a calligraphic first letter for chapters?

I found the lettrine package easy to use while also having customization options. The documentation is available at ctan. Using XeLaTeX, all fonts are available. The usual syntax is:

\usepackage{lettrine}
...
\lettrine[lines=2]{S}{tart} of the chapter

You can use color as well:

\lettrine[lines=4]{\color{BrickRed}S}{tart} of the chapter

I found that the package doesn't work well with verse. Sample:

The LaTeX Companion suggests looking at the lettrine package. However the usage seems to be a bit complicated and you need suitable fonts.

If you also accept fraktur letters, then the yfonts package has a very easy solution:

\documentclass{article}

\usepackage{yfonts,color}

\begin{document}

\yinipar{\color{red}L}orem ipsum [...]

\end{document}

This results in . The Companion suggests setting the paragraph with \fraklines to get better spacing. See what you like better.

This is probably wrong in so many ways, but it was fun to do :-)

\documentclass{minimal}
\font\Cal=cmsy10 at 25pt
\textwidth=.5\textwidth
\def\pstart#1{\noindent\smash{\lower3ex\hbox{\llap{\Cal#1}}\hskip-.2em}
  \parshape=3 1.5em \dimexpr\hsize-1.5em 2em \dimexpr\hsize-2em 0pt \hsize}
  % \parshape x (=number of lines) y (=amount of indent) i (=textwidth) [yi, yi,...]
\begin{document}
\pstart Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Vivamus leo felis, ultrices a pretium non, porttitor eget ante. Nunc varius mattis consequat. Praesent interdum, libero quis pulvinar sollicitudin, risus est mollis nulla, ac dignissim eros nibh eget eros. Quisque molestie, turpis quis eleifend gravida, velit elit adipiscing libero, at accumsan ipsum libero a risus. Nunc fermentum pulvinar pellentesque.

\pstart Cum sociis natoque penatibus et magnis dis parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus. Aliquam imperdiet ultrices vehicula. Quisque tellus dui, ullamcorper non accumsan vel, tincidunt in nisi. Praesent sit amet risus at lorem egestas vulputate eget vitae sem. Suspendisse lobortis convallis nulla non suscipit. Proin at felis sapien. Vivamus eleifend, diam in hendrerit vestibulum, risus est rutrum tortor, in tincidunt tellus mauris eu ante.

\pstart Donec in leo nunc. Donec facilisis consectetur venenatis. Nam aliquet ipsum quis massa sagittis hendrerit. Fusce mattis nibh et dolor consequat ac pretium nisi ultrices. Vivamus pellentesque adipiscing gravida. Aliquam pellentesque urna eu eros egestas adipiscing. Sed vestibulum pharetra mauris ut eleifend. Praesent et urna a dui eleifend consequat non in odio. Fusce vestibulum dolor at mauris tristique facilisis rhoncus et augue.
\end{document}