Last Supper icon meaning. Icon of the Lord "Last Supper". How does the Last Supper icon help?

It is unlikely that you will meet at least one person who would not recognize the icon " Last Supper" Thanks to its extraordinary nature, it immediately attracts the attention of believers. You can learn about the history and meaning of the icon, as well as what prayers are best to read in front of it, from this article.

At all times, Christians have been interested in the last days of the life of Jesus Christ. On the eve of Easter, services remember all the events that happened to the Son of God until the moment of his death and resurrection. The Last Supper is one of the most revered icons in Orthodox world. Many are familiar with this image thanks to the famous fresco by artist Leonardo da Vinci. Many people are interested in what is the meaning of this amazing icon..

The history of the icon "The Last Supper"

On the Last Supper icon we can see an image of one of the biblical stories that tells about last days earthly life of Jesus Christ. On this day, the Son of God called the apostles to the house, where he treated them to bread, a symbol of his body, and wine, which symbolizes the blood of the Savior. Subsequently, these attributes became the main ones for the sacrament of Communion.

The Last Supper is a symbol of the Christian faith. During the secret supper, the Son of God performed an ancient ritual, thanks to which he was able to improve old traditions. It is worth remembering that it was on this evening that the betrayal of Judas was revealed, when believers not only accepted the sacrifice of their Savior, but also reunited with him.

Description of the image

Looking at the Last Supper icon, you can literally feel the atmosphere of mystery and tranquility that reigned that evening. At the head of the table is the Son of God, and the apostles are divided into groups. The eyes of those present are fixed on Jesus Christ. No one realizes that among the guests there is a traitor, because of whom the Savior will soon be subjected to terrible torture. The author depicted Judas sitting in a ridiculous pose and clutching a bag of silver in his hand. One of the elements that catches the eye is the elbow with which the traitor leans on the table, which not a single apostle did. The Apostle Peter clutches a knife in his hand, aimed at Jesus Christ.

The Last Supper icon has several variations. This affects only some elements of the image, but its meaning and meaning remain unchanged.

What helps the icon "The Last Supper"

Having replenished your home iconostasis with this icon, you will notice how the atmosphere in your home harmonizes. Conflicts between households will become a rare nuisance, and enemies will not be able to easily cross the threshold of your home.

It is recommended to hang the icon in the kitchen or in the refectory, so that before eating you always have the opportunity to turn to the Lord with thanksgiving prayers.

If the atrocities committed earlier haunt you, pray in front of the icon with a request for the remission of sins. At this moment, you must sincerely repent of your deed, only in this case the Lord God will hear your prayers.

Where is the divine image located?

The Last Supper icon adorns numerous churches in our country. Most often, it can be seen at the entrance to the church, where believers can immediately offer prayers in front of the holy image.

The famous fresco "The Last Supper", the author of which was famous artist Leonardo da Vinci also depicts all the events that took place during the secret dinner. At the moment, you can see it in the monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie in Milan.

Prayer before the Last Supper icon

“Son of God, accept me, God’s servant (name), now to your Last Supper. May I not be a traitor and Your enemy, like Judas, so that You remember me in Your Kingdom. Let not the communion of Your Holy Mysteries be my judgment, but for the healing of my sinful soul. Amen".

Date of celebration of the icon

Every year the date of celebration of the icon falls on April 7. On this day, believers can visit the temple and pray before an amazing way. It will also be a great addition to your home iconostasis and will create peace and harmony in your home.

Sometimes life gives us unpleasant surprises in the form of problems and additional difficulties, and at such moments we simply need the help and support of heavenly protectors. Thanks to simple ways you will be able to call on your Guardian Angel in difficult times. Let harmony reign in your life, and don't forget to press the buttons and

04.04.2018 05:36

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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, that you also love one another."

He initiated them into 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 Blood of the new covenant, poured out for many for the remission of sins."

The Last Supper. End of the 14th 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 the one who betrays Me is with Me at the table, however, the Son of Man goes according to his destiny ...". "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Comforter, may he be 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 service. “As You sent Me into the world, so I sent them into the world,” Christ said in his prayer to the Father. The Last Supper, which took place in the upper chamber of one of the houses of Jerusalem, acquired universal significance and enduring meaning.

Ancient embroidered cover, Eucharist - Sacrament of 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 yearn. Then Jesus said to them: My soul is grieving to death; stay here and watch with Me. fell on his face, prayed, and said, My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, but not as I will, but as you do, and he comes to the disciples and finds them sleeping. The meaning of this episode is enormous: Jesus Christ is the true God, but He also true man, and mortal melancholy was not alien to Him and visited Him. But He overcame it in the name of saving people. The apostles, however, could not overcome only drowsiness and fell asleep three times, despite the request of the Teacher to stay awake...

Meal. Christ just said that one of the apostles would betray Him. The students look at each other in bewilderment and fear. Who will betray Christ? The traitor is identified - Judas, bending over, holds out his hand for bread. His posture repeats the posture of John, the beloved disciple of Christ, who bowed to the Teacher with humility and warmth. Loyalty and betrayal - how to distinguish them behind outwardly identical movements and postures? This is given only by spiritual vision...

Icon in the icon case "The Last Supper"

Christ washes the disciples' feet. By his action he teaches the unconditional denial of pride. The apostles must go into the world humble, like a Teacher. The Son prays to the Father for the cup: ...however, not as I want, but as You want. And so Judas came with a multitude of people. 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

main iconostasis in St. Isaac's Cathedral. 1887

Based on the original by S. A. Zhivago (1805-1863)

The face of Judas on the icon is not marked with any unpleasant features. The icon painter does not consider himself to have the right 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”...

Last Supper. Washing the feet. End of the 15th - beginning of the 16th century

After washing his feet, Christ lay down with his disciples at the table to eat the Passover lamb. During the supper, he announced to his disciples that one of them would betray him. Everyone in turn asked: “Isn’t it me, Lord?” In response to Judas Iscariot, Christ quietly answered: “Whatever you do, do it quickly.” At this evening, Christ established the sacrament of Communion, in which Christians, under the guise of bread and wine, receive the true Body and true Blood of Christ. Christ occupies the first place on the left at the table. Judas extends his hand to the cup - a symbol of the redemptive mission.

IN Western Europe with the development of the concept of free will, the indisputable condemnation of Judas was established: he could not have betrayed Christ, but in the freedom of his choice he followed the path of betrayal. This immediately found expression in painting. They began to portray Judas in such a way that it immediately became clear from his repulsive face that he was a traitor. Giotto was one of the first to depict Judas this way...

On icon of the Last Supper depicts the last earthly meal of the Lord. The greatness and tragedy of His Last Supper inspired icon painters and artists of all historical eras. In the Eastern tradition the exact date Historians have not been able to identify the oldest icons, but those that are dated date back to the 14th – 15th centuries. The names of their creators are unknown, except for a few - the classic version by Simon Ushakov, the unforgettable painting by Nikolai Ge. Later Western tradition left us the names of da Vinci, Ghirlandaio, Raphael, Fra Angelico, others, the works of Durer, Poussin, Giotto, and even the brilliant scoffer Dali created his own artistic version of the Last Supper.

Metropolitan Anthony of Sourozh, in one of his conversations, says that although the evangelists quite correctly describe the Jewish pre-Easter meal, no one mentions the sacrificial lamb, the lamb that according to tradition must be slain, the pure soul that must be killed as a tribute to sin...

At that Last Supper, the Lamb of God was Himself - the Son of God and the Son of man, Jesus Christ. Shepherd and sacrifice, He distributed His Flesh and His Blood from His hands to the disciples in the form of wine and bread, thereby forever abolishing the blood offering between people. His blood will soon be last blood, shed before the last pre-Christian Easter, and He is rejected and condemned as the worst criminal, not really understood until even His disciples will be mourned by a few at the foot of His crucifixion.

Our Last Supper at the Sacrament of Communion, as Vladyka Anthony spoke about, is only a faint reflection of that in Jerusalem. It does not free us from the sin that we carry within ourselves every hour, conveying only a premonition of the complete victory of the Kingdom of God. However, having received the Holy Gifts, what should we do next for it to come? Or everything will work itself out and, having left the church threshold, you can continue ordinary life according to the well-known principle “if you don’t sin, you don’t repent”?

Those who ate the Lord's Table at the Last Supper truly followed Him, becoming His apostles when He was no longer among them. They, following His paths, tasted loneliness, suffering, rejection - all the slaps in the face of the world, which He fully tasted, and, like Him, the overwhelming majority accepted martyrdom. And when leaving the church after the Divine Liturgy, shouldn’t you think about the meaning Last Supper icons not only in anticipation of Easter joy, but as a continuation of his own way of the cross - with Him, realizing that first of all He was not going to those who found Him - but to the lost, not to the prosperous - but to the poor, descending with the light of Love - into the darkness of Hate . After all, if we remember that bread and that wine and the words of His call to serve this meal in memory of Him, then each Communion will indeed become for us a small part of the Last Supper of the Lord, acquiring the full depth of its Gospel meaning.

Meaning of the icon
What can we say about the meaning of this icon? The event depicted on it is one of the most important in the spiritual history of mankind, when the greatest of the sacraments, the Eucharist, was granted to everyone who embarked on the path of following Christ as the Sun of Truth, accepting His commandments as the main life guideline, aligning their lives with His Truths. This icon is the center of iconographic revelations depicting the twelve feasts. In sum, they are the Gospel in colors, and “The Last Supper” is perhaps the most disturbing icon for the spiritual world of the believer among those that reflect the events of Holy Week. The Last Supper is a turning point at the very beginning of the entire future history of the New Testament.

Holy Communion is communion... To receive communion means to become, even the slightest, part of the Church of Christ. Let us listen and think about these words. To be involved means to become part of something, and having realized and accepted the greatness of that meal, it means to be part of that era, that event, which once again, through the Providence of God, united Heaven and earth.

Icon of the Last Supper

“The Last Supper” is a well-known icon that is familiar not only to Orthodox believers who go to church every day, but also to those who are well acquainted with the art of Leonardo da Vinci. The image of the event in New Testament history is similar in image to the famous fresco of the creator. However, despite the fact that almost all people know this creation, each individual is interested in the answer to the question: “What exactly is the semantic meaning of this work of art in the Orthodox religion, and how can it actually help?”

The value of the Last Supper icon

The creation in the form of a fresco by Leonardo da Vinci and the icon in question are intertwined. That is why many icon painters and great masters of painting have been interested in the question from time immemorial: “How exactly are these works related to each other?”. However, it is truly known that the picturesque fresco of the great creator and the sacred image of that main event for Christians carry different purposes, despite the fact that they are deeply symbolic and play a certain role for history and each person individually.

The Last Supper has a wide meaning because it symbolizes a certain beginning of a new life path for all humanity and at the same time is a vivid symbol of a new stage in the relationship between the Almighty and the people as a whole. Based on such knowledge, it can be argued that due to this meaning, this icon is located in every Orthodox church. Christian temple above the entrance to the altar. This is also why only bread and wine are sacrificed, since blood has not been shed since time immemorial, because it was at one time redeemed by Jesus Christ.
Acts of Holy Thursday:
1. Washing the feet is a kind of ritual;
2. Eucharist;
3. Prayer services;
4. Betrayal of the disciple and follower, that is, Judas;
5. Taking into custody.

The general significance of the icon is familiar to every Christian and in order to talk about its meaning, you do not need to make any effort, but it will take years to understand and comprehend. This is due to the fact that the general awareness of the deep meaning of the meal, which is reflected in the icon, comes to each person in due time.

Almost every person, and especially a Christian, knows that throughout the year a certain sacrament is performed in a church or temple, which was previously established by the Almighty. It was at that moment, on the eve of Easter night, at the Last Supper, that a significant event occurred, which is reflected in this shrine. It is important to note that 2000 years ago, Passover was celebrated in honor of the liberation of the then Jews from Egyptian slavery. In those days, Jesus Christ washed the disciples’ feet with his own hands and shared the evening meal with them. He broke the bread and distributed it to the apostles, and after the bread they passed the cup. It is these events that are depicted in the well-known icon, as well as in the fresco of the painter of the High Renaissance.

Theological meaning of the holy image

However, not only those mentioned, the deed happened on a holy evening. A certain disciple and follower of the Great Jesus Christ was lost because he decided to betray his own allies and associates. Therefore, at this moment there is some kind of agreement about treason, which was previously paid for. It is also important to note the fact that the number of coins is still included in the proverb.

This is not about one person, but about the fact that anyone can betray the Almighty at any time, but not everyone can find the spiritual strength to sincerely repent from the bottom of their hearts and souls. That is why general meaning for each person the icon is not transmitted storyline, with any colors, gestures or characters, but with a direct feeling that the Almighty is waiting for each person with repentance until his last breath.

On the Holy Face you can see a certain figure of Judas, it is he who is reaching towards the center of the table, thus he reveals that he is a traitor. His figure speaks of absurdity and provocative behavior. Thus, the icon painters of ancient times tried to emphasize the fall, confusion and make Judas seem to be “speaking”. That is, even on the icon one can see his betrayal and the all-consuming depth of his deed.

It is important to note, a very important historical fact, that to this day not a single creator has been able to describe the place of the secret meal in detail. However, if we turn to historical information and data, we can find out that at that time the wide, long tables and chairs that are familiar to a modern resident could not exist.

We can judge this based on the fact that in those days even the Romans did not have such pieces of furniture, therefore, during meals, food lay on the bench, and people sat on the floor, laying pillows.

Therefore, we can safely say that the icon painters depicted a long table on the sacred face, which is a vivid symbol, that is, a reminder of the Eucharist, which at that time was performed for the first time in history. Therefore, we can say that the table is in some way the prototype of the throne itself in the altar.

At the same time, turning to the icon of the Last Supper, which was painted by icon painters from other countries of the world, one can see a certain image on which there are large bowls with a variety of products, herbs, that is, products in abundance. Holy face from different countries the world differs only in certain nuances, such as the furnishings, rooms, the shape of the table or bowl on the table. At the same time, the figure of the Almighty is bright and often stands out:
clothes;
posture;
size.
Where to place the icon?

The icon can be placed in your own home iconostasis in any corner, no matter what room it will be. Naturally, it is necessary to install a Holy Image near this sacred Face Mother of God, Jesus Christ, saints, Nicholas the Wonderworker and other shrines that carry deep meaning for the residents of the house.

Many clergy claim that this shrine can be placed in the dining room in order to perform a prayer rule before eating food. Therefore, the answer to the question of where to place the icon is quite simple anywhere in the house, where the owner considers it necessary.

How does the Last Supper icon help?

We can say that the icon of the Last Supper can be addressed with any requests and deeds. From time immemorial, it has helped every Orthodox believing Christian to contact the Almighty, ask him for forgiveness and repent of their deeds. Therefore, this particular shrine is located in temples and churches near the altar.

We also remind you that our will help you find many other Orthodox goods, and even !

It is difficult to find a person who is not at all familiar with the Last Supper icon. Those who regularly visit the temple and participate in church sacraments have probably seen it over the Royal Doors more than once. Those who are in the habit of praying at home before meals hang the image in the dining room. And an unbeliever, at least once in his life, has come across the famous fresco by Leonardo da Vinci, painted for a Milan monastery - also, in fact, an icon... But what is the meaning behind it? What does the image symbolize? What purpose does it serve?

Sacrament of the Eucharist

What the Last Supper icon means for a Christian is both easy and extremely difficult to tell. It’s easy - because every person, even superficially familiar with the Holy Scriptures, knows what event it tells about. It’s difficult because everyone comes to the realization of the deep meaning of what happened during the festive meal in the Zion Upper Room in their own way...

All year round, with rare exceptions, the Church celebrates the Sacrament of Communion, established by Christ himself 2000 years ago. Then, at the Last Supper on the eve of Easter - and in the time of Jesus it was a holiday in honor of the liberation of the Jews from Egyptian slavery - a significant event occurred. Having washed the disciples’ feet with his own hands and shared a meal with them, Jesus broke the bread and distributed it to the apostles, saying: “This is my body.” And then, handing over the cup, he proclaimed: “This is My Blood.”

Since then, the Church has been reproducing this action in the Sacrament of Communion or, in other words, the Eucharist. In the Sacrament, thanks to which a person who once fell away from God can reunite with Him, become one with His higher nature, and receive invaluable spiritual benefits. By accepting bread and wine - the body and blood of Christ, sacrificed for people - we take into ourselves His part and eternal life.

The subject of the first communion is often found in church paintings

The main meaning of the Last Supper icon is to serve as a reminder of the first communion of the apostles, the subsequent betrayal of Judas and the voluntary sacrifice made by Jesus Christ for us.

Where to place the icon?

Do you need an icon of the Last Supper in your home? If you are a believer and want to add it to your home iconostasis, such a question should not arise. Of course you need it!

However, let’s make a reservation right away: there are no strict rules on this topic. There is only a tradition that requires that in a home Orthodox Christian there was an image of Jesus Christ, the Mother of God and the Saints. Whether it will be St. Nicholas the Wonderworker, especially revered by the Russian people, the saints whose names are borne by the owner of the house and members of his family, or anyone else, depends only on you. There is also a place in this series for the apostles, captured in one of the most significant, exciting moments: the reception of the first Holy Gifts on this earth.

Place an icon in the dining room to pray before meals. Or in the kitchen, where ordinary, but so homely and warm breakfasts and dinners are held. Or on your home iconostasis - why not?

Some families have kept truly precious relics for many decades.

By the way, the “Last Supper”, along with the “Holy Trinity,” is allowed to be placed above the faces of the Savior and the Mother of God - this image is so highly valued.

What to pray for?

How does the Last Supper icon help?

First of all, like any other, it gives us the opportunity to focus on communicating with God, to tell Him about our secret thoughts, worries and joys, and to find peace of mind in prayer.
If the icon hangs in the kitchen, the housewife can read a short prayer, asking for blessings on the work she has begun every time she starts cooking.
If in the dining room, as already mentioned, they pray in front of the image before and after the meal.
In a church where the Last Supper is traditionally placed at the Royal Doors, parishioners turn to it in order to receive the blessing to correctly receive the Holy Gifts.
And before the image you can ask for forgiveness of sins, both in the temple and at home.

You can pray about everything that lies in a person’s soul.

Maundy Thursday in Church...

In the Calendar of Great Lent, a separate day of Holy Week is dedicated to the memory of the festive meal, which was once secretly celebrated in Jerusalem. In 2020, it falls on April 16, which means that on this day we will again remember with reverence the sacrament performed by the Savior for his disciples; empathize with his suffering on the cross; mourn death; rejoice in the resurrection and try to join Christ through confession and the Eucharist.

...And in folk traditions

Maundy Thursday is not in vain also called Clean. On this day, Christians strive to visit the bathhouse or take a bath at home. If this is not possible, for example if you are traveling, you should at least rinse your face and hands.

The water element is given special attention. On this day, the peasants tried to take a moment and run to a source or to a stream with a bucket: it was believed that “Thursday water” washes away all the sins accumulated over the year, bestows health, and if you throw a worn thing into the river, troubles and adversities will flow away after it .

In memory of the washing of the feet of the apostles, and we strive to meet the holiday in purity

However, the hostesses had no time to go to the river. Thursday was a big cooking day for them. Cottage cheese for Easter was being ground, Easter cakes were being baked, and savory dishes were simmering on the stove and sizzling in hot oil, which were supposed to be served to household members on the bright holiday. Well, other family members were busy painting eggs, because until the time it would be possible to give family, friends and acquaintances the main Easter treat in a bright shell, there was not much time left...

Video: Last Supper and First Communion

A video from the Orthodox TV channel “My Joy” will tell you more about the meaning of the Sacrament of Communion and the Last Supper:

And a little more about Maundy Thursday:

Photo gallery: The Last Supper on icons and frescoes

The miracle - there is no other way to call it - that took place in Jerusalem on the eve of Easter, occupied the minds of icon painters and ordinary artists in all centuries. All the better! Today we have an excellent opportunity to look at a wide variety of images of the Last Supper: photos of icons, frescoes and paintings painted both centuries ago and by modern masters. Each in its own way is a masterpiece!