On the eve of Easter, the disciples asked the Lord where He would like to have the festive meal. The Lord indicated to whom in Jerusalem the disciples should turn: “Go and tell him:“ My time is near; I will celebrate Easter with My disciples at your place. ” The disciples did what Jesus told them to do and prepared the Passover meal. This meal was attended only by Jesus Christ and His twelve apostles. They all understood that something special, mysterious was happening. “I very much desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering,” the Lord said to the disciples.
However, a dispute arose between the disciples as to which of them should be honored as the elder. The Lord interrupted this argument: "Who of you is greater, be like the least, and the ruler like the servant." And, giving His disciples an example of meekness and service to others, the Lord got up, took off His outer clothing and, taking a towel and a laver, began to wash His disciples' feet and wipe them with a towel. When He washed their feet and put on His clothes, then returning to the table, he said to them: “Do you know what I have done for you? if I, your Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, then you must also wash each other's feet. "
The Easter meal went on as usual. But then the Lord took the bread and, having made a prayer of thanksgiving, blessed and gave it to His disciples with the words: "Take, eat, this is My body, which is given for you." And then, taking the cup and again offering up a prayer of thanksgiving, he gave it with the words: “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Do this in remembrance of Me. " This is how the great Mystery of the Eucharist was established. At a meal on the eve of His death on the cross, the Lord revealed to the disciples the sacrifice that He will bring for the salvation of people. The same miracle of the manifestation of Christ's sacrifice takes place now in every church where the Divine Liturgy is performed. The apostle says: Whenever you eat this Bread and drink this Cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. The blood of the sacrificial animals held together the Old Testament - the union of God and the ancient Israelite people. With His own Blood, the Lord seals the New Testament - the eternal union of God and all mankind. Until the Second Glorious Coming of Christ, we, Christians, partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ, not only unite with Christ, but also unite into a single body with all those who receive communion with us. This one body is called the Church of Christ.
Even during the meal, Jesus Christ said, addressing the disciples: "The truth I say to you: one of you will betray Me." The disciples were perplexed: who is the Teacher talking about? They asked Christ: was it me, Lord? John Zebedee, a disciple whom the Lord especially loved, leaning on Jesus' breast, asked Him: God! who is this? The Lord replied: "The one to whom I, having dipped, will give a piece of bread." And, dipping a piece, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, saying: What are you doing, do it soon... Satan, who pushed the disciple of Christ to commit a crime against the Teacher, at that moment finally took possession of Judas. Judas went out into the night and hastened to the enemies of the Lord. However, none of the disciples understood the Savior's words. They decided that the Lord had sent Judas away to buy supplies for the holiday or to give donations to the poor.
The Gospel text does not directly say whether Judas received the Body and Blood of Christ, or whether the Lord denounced the traitor before the establishment of the Eucharist. But you can see how the Lord to the last tries to awaken conscience in His disciple and keep him from a disastrous step.
The Last Supper icon is perhaps one of the most known to people worldwide. And if someone is not familiar with the icon, then it is difficult to find someone who has never ...
Icon "The Last Supper": meaning, what helps
From Masterweb
05.04.2018 22:01The Last Supper icon is perhaps one of the most famous people in the world. And if someone is not familiar with the icon, then it is difficult to find someone who has never heard of this biblical story. After all, it is fundamental for the conduct of such an important church sacrament as the Eucharist, or Holy Communion.
Where can you see the icon?
Anyone who constantly takes part in the services, probably more than once could see the Last Supper icon in the church above the Royal Doors. People who offer prayers to God before a meal at home hang it in the room where they eat.
Many of the people who are not affiliated with the Christian faith are most likely familiar with the fresco by the consummate master Leonardo da Vinci. He created during the Renaissance and wrote it for a monastery in Milan, called "Santa Maria delle Grazia". She adorns one of the walls of the refectory to this day, the picture, in fact, is an icon.
What is the meaning of the image, what does it symbolize, what does it serve? Below we will describe the meaning of the Last Supper icon and how it helps.
Church sacrament
Throughout the year, the sacrament of the Sacrament, or the Eucharist, is celebrated in the Catholic and Orthodox churches. It was established by Jesus Christ himself about 2 thousand years ago. In those ancient times, at the Last Supper, which took place on the eve of Easter, one of the most significant events in Christianity took place. (Then Easter was a holiday celebrated in honor of the release of the Jews from slavery in Egypt).
After the Savior had washed his disciples' feet, he shared an evening meal with them. The Son of God, having broken bread, handed it over to the apostles, saying at the same time that this was his body. And then, passing the cup of wine, he uttered the thought that this was his blood.
Since that time, the church, remembering that long-standing event, reproduces it, displaying it in the rite of the Eucharist. In the process of this sacrament, a person who tasted a specially prepared bread and wine, which miraculously became the body of Christ and his blood, unites with God and receives eternal life in heaven.
Thus, the meaning of the Last Supper icon is that it reminds us of such evangelical events as the first communion of the apostles, the further betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas and his voluntary sacrifice by crucifixion in the name of the forgiveness of the sins of all mankind.
Where should the icon be placed?
There are no strict rules about whether you need to have the Last Supper icon at home. But there is a tradition according to which in the home of a Christian who adheres to the Orthodox confession, there should be icons depicting Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, the Holy Saints. But you can independently decide which icons they will be.
Thus, it is quite appropriate to have an icon depicting the Last Supper in the house. After all, in Christianity it is customary to offer a prayer to God before eating food, so why not pray to this icon? Where is the best place to place it? To make it easier to pray, you can hang it over the table at which family meals take place.
And you can also find a place for her in the home iconostasis. It should be noted that the icon "The Last Supper", a photo of which is given in the article, is valued so highly that it is allowed to hang it over the face of both the Savior and the Mother of God.
What is the Last Supper praying for?
Many are interested in the question of what kind of prayers should be offered to this image, in what way does the Last Supper icon help believers? Here are the answers to this question:
As already mentioned, Communion, closely related to the Last Supper icon, occurs during the Liturgy almost every day. Therefore, the sufferings of Christ, accepted by him on the cross, are constantly remembered by the church. However, there is also a special day on which a tribute is paid to the memory of the secret meal that once took place in Jerusalem.
It is marked in the Calendar of Lent and falls on Maundy Thursday, which fell on April 5 in 2018. On this day, believers again with a sense of reverence revive in their memory the great sacrament revealed by Jesus to his beloved disciples - the holy apostles. They empathize with his sufferings, taken by him for all people on the cross, mourn his death and rejoice at his resurrection. At the same time, they try to commune with him in soul and body, eating the Holy Gifts, praying, confessing and partaking.
Maundy Thursday in folk traditions
Maundy Thursday is also called Clean. As a rule, when it comes, Christians always strive to go to the bathhouse, and in the absence of such an opportunity - to bathe at home. If a person is on the road, but does not want to deviate from traditions, it is enough for him to rinse his face and hands well.
In ancient times, on Maundy Thursday, peasants preferred to draw water from a stream or a spring, since it was believed that such water, called "Thursday", washes away the sins that have accumulated over the year and gives health. There was a sign according to which, if a person threw an old thing into the river, then troubles and all sorts of troubles flowed away with it.
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The holy image, which demonstrates the famous New Testament plot, is widely known throughout the world. This Christian icon symbolizes the beginning of the religious path for humanity, and is also a sign of a new period in the relationship between God and His children. Prayers to the holy image are able to direct a sinful person to the path of true faith; with the help of a canvas, the believer focuses on personal communication with the Lord.
Iconography
The holy canvas depicts the Sacrament of the Sacrament, followed by the celebration of Good Friday. The meal is called “secret” because they were looking for the Savior, they wanted to falsely accuse of spreading Christian teachings on the territory of Judea and wanted to be executed. On this day, the Messiah and the disciples in last time dined together, the Savior knew this, so he distributed the most important Church Sacrament of the Sacrament among his followers.
- The meal is served in the evening - this is connected with the plot described in the Old Testament. Since ancient times, Jews have celebrated Easter, which symbolized the exodus of their ancestors from Egypt and liberation from slavery.
- Key events for the Jewish people took place at night. Every Jewish family was required to slaughter a lamb and mark the doors of their homes with the blood of the sacrifice, thus avoiding God's wrath against all Egyptians. Many Egyptians died that night, but the Jews who were awaiting rescue in their homes escaped death. Pharaoh, feeling fear of the will of the Lord, dismissed the slaves, headed by the Monk Moses.
- Christ establishes the New Testament rituals, where there is no longer a need for real blood, because the Savior becomes the sacrificial lamb (lamb). Hence, the meaning of the icon is clear: it depicts a new era in the relationship between the Lord and humanity. Today ordinary bread and wine are sacrificed, and there is no need for bloodshed, for Jesus Christ personally atoned for the guilt of sinfulness. The holy image is often installed above the entrance to the altar of the Orthodox Church.
Read about other icons:
The power of the shrine
The main character of the holy image is Jesus Christ. The Son of God is the center of the gospel story. Therefore, Orthodox people have the right to read any prayers in front of this image, developing in their own consciousness the worldview of a righteous person.
Since there are two natures in the God-man, the Lord symbolically and mysteriously dwells in food as man and as God. He is able to be in a small piece of food, because he is omnipresent and omnipotent, despite the fact that the material world is fragmented and tormented by opposites.
Orthodox icon "The Last Supper"
Theological rationale for the Last Supper
One of the followers of Jesus Christ was lost spiritually, as he decided to sell his teacher and friends for thirty pieces of silver. If you delve into the essence of the problem of Judas, it will become clear: everyone can betray the faith at any time, but not everyone is able to sincerely repent of the perfect betrayal.
The general meaning of the image is conveyed not by the plot, colors, background color, characters and their gestures, but by the feeling that the Lord is endlessly waiting for the sinner and waiting for complete repentance.
Orthodox online store Svyattsy.Org - icons "The Last Supper".
Celebration and folk signs
The church has set aside a special day of Holy Week to remember the events of the Secret Meal. The Orthodox people remember Maundy Thursday and the sacrament that Christ performed with colossal reverence. Believers also empathize with the intense suffering at Calvary, mourn the end predicted in the Scriptures, and rejoice in Sunday. And at the end of the divine services, Christians try to join the teachings of the Savior through confession and the ritual of the Eucharist.
- This day is called "clean" for a reason: every Christian is obliged to visit a bathhouse and take a regular bath.
- The peasants in Russia had a tradition to go to the stream and collect a full bucket of water. There was a legend that the consecrated "Thursday" water is able to wash away all the sins accumulated over the year.
- Health returned if a person disinterestedly gave a personal thing to the river, after which the current carried away all illnesses and adversities.
- However, Russian women did not have time to visit the river; the responsibility of preparing a large table was placed on their shoulders. They pounded cottage cheese, baked delicious cakes and quick dishes, which they treated relatives and guests. The children were engaged in painting eggs for Easter, until which there was very little time left.
It is customary for Christians to say a prayer before eating. The Day of Remembrance of the Icon falls on Maundy Thursday, foreshadowing the Easter celebrations.
In the sacred canvas The Last Supper, believers observe a turning point, after which the Savior will demonstrate the divine nature to the apostles and show an example of sacrifice for the sake of love for the Creator. Memories of the events that happened on Maundy Thursday help Christians not to lose faith in difficult times, transforming bitterness into hope and spiritual joy.
Icon of the Last Supper
In Christianity, there are many miraculous and very revered icons. But there is one that can be found in every home. This is the icon of the Last Supper, which depicts a scene that took place two thousand years ago on the eve of the crucifixion of Christ.
The image is based on the biblical story of Jesus' last days on earth. On the eve of Judas' betrayal, arrest and crucifixion, Christ gathered all his disciples in the house for a meal. During it, he broke a piece of bread and gave it to the apostles, saying: "Eat, this is my body, which breaks for you for the remission of sins." Then he drank from the cup and also gave it to his followers, decreeing that his blood was contained there for atonement for sins. These words later entered the church rite known as the Eucharist. The Last Supper icon also reminds the believer that on that distant day Jesus predicted that very soon one of his disciples would betray him. The apostles became agitated, asking about whom in question but the Lord gave the bread to Judas. On Maundy Thursday, the Christian church commemorates this event with a special service.
The meaning of the icon
The Last Supper is an icon, the meaning of which is very clear and at the same time not fully understood. The main, central elements are wine and bread on the table. They talk about the body and blood of Jesus who sacrificed himself. At the same time, it can be argued that Christ himself acts as a lamb, which was traditionally prepared for Easter by the Jews.
It is difficult to answer today when the Last Supper was taking place. The icon only conveys the essence of this event, but this is also why it is important. After all, communion with the body and blood of the Lord allows each believer to become a part of the meal where the foundations were born christian church, her main sacrament. She talks about the most important thing in the life of a Christian - to accept the sacrifice of Jesus, to pass it through your body and soul, to unite with him into one whole.
Hidden symbolism
The Last Supper icon is a symbol of true faith and the unity of the human race. Scholars who have studied the biblical texts compared them with other sources, more ancient and independent. They came to the conclusion that Jesus at his meal performed a ritual that was established before him for a thousand years. Breaking bread, drinking wine from a cup - these are the things that the Jews did before him. Thus, Christ did not reject the old customs, but only supplemented them, improved them, introduced a new meaning into them. He showed that in order to serve God, one does not need to leave people, to break off all relations with them, but on the contrary, one should go to people and serve them.
The most famous icon and its analysis
The Last Supper is an icon that can often be seen in the refectory and in the kitchen. Today there is a wide variety of images on this topic. And each icon painter brought into it his own vision, his own understanding of faith. But the most popular icon of the Last Supper belongs to the brush of Leonardo da Vinci.
Painted at the end of the fifteenth century, the famous fresco is housed in a Milan monastery. The legendary painter used a special painting technique, but the fresco began to deteriorate very quickly. The image depicts Jesus Christ sitting in the center, and the apostles, divided into groups. The identification of the students could only be carried out after Leonardo's notebooks were discovered in the nineteenth century.
It is believed that the "Last Supper" icon, a photo of which can be found in our article, depicts the moment where students learn about betrayal. The painter wanted to show the reaction of each of them, including Judas, because the faces of all people are turned towards the viewer. The traitor sits with a sack of silver in his hand and his elbow on the table (which no apostle did). Peter froze, holding a knife in his hand. Christ points with his hands to the food, that is, to the bread and wine.
Leonardo uses the symbolism of the number three: behind Christ there are three windows, the disciples are seated in three, and even the outline of Jesus resembles a triangle. Many people try to find a hidden message in the image, some kind of mystery and a clue to it. So, Dan Brown believes that the artist showed the meal in an unconventional sense, claiming that Mary Magdalena is sitting next to Jesus. In his interpretation, this is the wife of Christ, the mother of his children, from whom the church denies. But be that as it may, Leonardo da Vinci created an amazing icon that is familiar not only to Christians, but also to believers of other religions. It attracts people with a magnet, forcing them to think about the frailty of life.
Maundy Thursday is the most sacred day for all Christians
The Last Supper is the last meal of Jesus Christ with the apostles. Christ summed up what He taught and gave final instructions to His disciples. "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another, as I have loved you, so you also love one another."
He consecrated them to the sacrament of Communion: having blessed the bread, He broke it and distributed it with the words: "take, eat: cue is My Body" and then, taking a cup of wine, said: drink from it all, for "cue is my new blood a covenant shed for many for the remission of sins. "
The Last Supper. End of the XIV century. Andrey Rublev
He said that one of the disciples would betray Him, and that Peter would deny Him three times today. "The hand of him that betrays Me with Me at the table, however, the Son of Man is going according to his destiny ...". "I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever, the Spirit of truth." "But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything ..." The Savior prepared the apostles for ministry. “As You sent Me into the world, so I also sent them into the world” - said Christ in his prayer to the Father. The Last Supper, which took place in the upper room of one of the houses of Jerusalem, acquired universal significance and enduring meaning.
Ancient embroidered veil, Eucharist - Sacrament of the Holy Communion of the Apostles
After the supper, Christ went with the apostles to Gethsemane. "... sit here while I go and pray there. And, taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, he began to grieve and grieve. Then Jesus saith to them: My soul is sorrowful to death; stay here and watch with Me. And he departed a little. , fell on His face, prayed and said: My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; however, not as I want, but as You. And he comes to the disciples, and finds them asleep. " The meaning of this episode is enormous: Jesus Christ is the true God, but He is also a true Man, and mortal melancholy was not alien to Him and visited Him. But He overcame her in the name of saving people. The apostles, however, could not overcome only drowsiness and fell asleep three times, despite the Teacher's request to stay awake ...
Meal. Christ has just said that one of the apostles will betray Him. The students look at each other in bewilderment and fear. Who will betray Christ? The traitor is indicated - Judas, bending over, stretches out his hand for bread. His posture repeats the posture of John - the beloved disciple of Christ, with humility and warmth bowed to the Teacher. Devotion and betrayal - how to distinguish them behind outwardly identical movements and postures? This is given only by spiritual sight ...
Icon in the icon case "The Last Supper"
Christ washes the feet of the disciples. By his action, he teaches the unconditional denial of pride. The apostles must go into the world as a teacher to the humble. The Son prays to the Father for a cup: ... however, not as I want, but as You. And so Judas came with a great crowd. Judas kisses Christ. The apostles turn away in fear. From this moment the passion of the Lord begins ...
Icon of the Last Supper.
Mosaic over the Royal Doors
the main iconostasis in St. Isaac's Cathedral. 1887 g.
According to the original by S. A. Zhivago (1805-1863)
The face of Judas in the icon is not marked with any unpleasant features. The icon painter does not consider himself entitled to judge. And betrayal itself is the lowest deception because it hides under the guise of devotion. Judas's face is "like everyone else's" ...
The Last Supper. Washing of feet. Late 15th - early 16th century
After washing the feet, Christ lay down with the disciples at the table to eat the Passover lamb. During the supper, he announced to the disciples that one of them would betray him. All in turn asked: "Is it not me, Lord?" In response to Judas Iscariot, Christ quietly replied: "What you are doing, do more quickly." At this evening, Christ established the Sacrament of the Sacrament, in which Christians, under the guise of bread and wine, accept the true Body and the true Blood of Christ. Christ is at the table first on the left. Judas stretches out his hand to the chalice - a symbol of the redemptive mission.In Western Europe, with the development of the concept of free will, an indisputable condemnation of Judas was established: he could not betray Christ, but in the freedom of his choice he took the path of betrayal. This immediately found its expression in painting. Judas began to be portrayed in such a way that it immediately became clear from his repulsive face that he was a traitor. He was one of the first to portray Judas Giotto ...
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