It is difficult to find a person who is not at all familiar with the icon." last supper" Those who regularly visit the temple and participate in church sacraments, they probably saw it more than once over the Royal Doors. 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 His part into ourselves 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: strict rules no on this topic. There is only a tradition that requires that in a home Orthodox Christian there was an image of Jesus Christ, Mother of God and 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, 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 begun every time he 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...

A separate day is dedicated to the memory of the festive meal that was once held secretly in Jerusalem. Holy Week - Maundy Thursday. In 2019, it falls on April 25, 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

It is not for nothing that Maundy Thursday is also called Clean Thursday. On this day Christians strive to mandatory visit the sauna 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, we strive to celebrate the holiday in purity

However, the housewives had no time to go to the river. Thursday became a day of great cooking for them. Cottage cheese for Easter was being ground, Easter cakes were being baked, savory dishes were simmering on the stove and sizzling in hot oil, which were supposed to be treated to household members in Holy 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 ages. 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 modern masters. Each in its own way is a masterpiece!

The age of some icons is difficult to determine

Judas is often depicted reaching across the table for a dish

And how often the Last Supper is depicted in stained glass!

A familiar plot is also found on ancient tapestries.

Stone bas-reliefs look especially impressive

The Last Supper does not give peace to our contemporaries either.

Even the sculpture did not ignore the exciting topic

> icon of the Last Supper

Icon of the Last Supper

Icon of the Last Supper talks about the Savior's very last meal with his disciples. The icon depicts Jesus and His twelve disciples, including Judas Iscariot, who betrayed the Savior. The events that occurred during the Last Supper became the starting point of the Passion (Suffering) of Christ. Formally, the Supper in the chronology of the Passion is, of course, preceded by the Entry of the Lord into Jerusalem, now celebrated by the Orthodox as the Twelfth Feast and Supper in Bethany, where Christ was anointed with myrrh, designating Him as the Messiah - the anointed of God. But it is during the Last Supper that the following occurs:

Washing the disciples' feet. Before the meal, according to ancient Eastern custom, Jesus, girding himself with a towel, washed the feet of His disciples. To the astonished question of the Apostle Peter: "Lord! Shall you wash my feet?" Jesus, having washed the feet of all the apostles, answered: “If I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, then you should also wash one another’s feet. Truly I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, and a messenger is not greater than he who sent.” Thus, the Savior showed an example of true Christian humility, knowing that he washed the feet of even Judas Iscariot, whose betrayal soon led to the end of Christ’s earthly life.
Jesus' prediction of the betrayal of Judas Iscariot. During the meal, Jesus Christ said to his disciples: “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me...he who dipped his hand into the dish with Me, this one will betray Me.” To Judas' question: "Isn't it me, Teacher?" The Savior answers: "You said". A little later, Judas Iscariot will be the first of his disciples to leave the Last Supper in order to have time to lead the soldiers and slaves serving the high priests to the Garden of Gethsemane to capture Jesus Christ. In the Garden of Gethsemane, after praying for the cup, Judas again meets the Savior, surrounded by His disciples and apostles. So that the soldiers of the high priests do not mistakenly capture the Apostle Thomas, who is very similar in appearance to Jesus, Judas points them to Jesus with his welcoming kiss. For betraying the Teacher, Judas received thirty pieces of silver from the high priests. Repenting of his own unbelief, Judas threw the money he received in the temple and, coming out, hanged himself.
Sacrament of Communion - Eucharist. Jesus Christ, distributing bread that He broke into pieces and wine to His disciples, said to the apostles: “Take, eat, this is My Body...Drink everything from the cup, for this is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” The word Eucharist itself - Greek origin, it means "thanksgiving". By eating the Body and Blood of Christ, we become part of oneness with God and at the same time thank the Savior for His sacrifice, which He made for us, freeing humanity from the burden of original sin at the cost of His torment. And now the Sacrament of Holy Communion is the basis of the church liturgy - the main Christian worship.

In the iconography of the Last Supper, there are several features characteristic of depicting the chosen apostles of Christ. Thus, the youngest of the apostles, John the Theologian, is depicted on the icon of the Last Supper reclining at the chest of the Savior. Judas Iscariot, for obvious reasons, lacks a halo. Often a wallet or purse is depicted in his hands - Judas was the treasurer of the apostles, he collected donations and managed the money collected. Jesus Christ is depicted with a cross-shaped halo, characteristic of His iconography.

The Last Supper icon will always serve as a reminder of the saving sacrifice of Jesus Christ, because it was from the last joint meal of the Savior with His apostles that the Passion of Christ began, ending with His earthly death and subsequent Resurrection, which granted humanity the atonement for the original sin of the ancestors Adam and Eve.

Icon "Last Supper" 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 heard of this biblical story. After all, it is fundamental for carrying out such an important church sacrament as the Eucharist, or Holy Communion.

Where can you see the icon?

Anyone who constantly takes part in services has probably seen the Last Supper icon in the church above the Royal Doors more than once. People who offer prayers to God before a meal at home hang it in the room where they eat.

Many people who are not involved in the Christian faith are most likely familiar with the fresco by the unsurpassed master Leonardo da Vinci. He worked during the Renaissance and wrote it for a monastery in Milan called Santa Maria delle Grazia. It decorates one of the walls of the refectory to this day; the painting is, in fact, an icon.

What is the meaning of the image, what does it symbolize, what does it serve? We will tell you below what the meaning of the Last Supper icon is and what it helps with.

Church sacrament

Throughout the year in Catholic and Orthodox churches The sacrament of Communion, or Eucharist, is performed. 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 Passover was a holiday celebrated in honor of the rescue of the Jews from slavery in Egypt).

After the Savior washed the feet of his disciples, he shared the evening meal with them. The Son of God, having broken the bread, handed it over to the apostles, saying at the same time that this was his body. And then, handing over the cup of wine, he expressed the idea that this was his blood.

Since those times, the church, remembering that long-standing event, has been reproducing it, reflecting it in the rite of the Eucharist. During this sacrament, a person who has tasted specially prepared bread and wine, which miraculously became the body of Christ and his blood, is united with God and receives eternal life in heaven.

Thus, the meaning of the Last Supper icon is that it reminds us of such gospel events as the first communion of the apostles, the further betrayal of Jesus Christ by Judas and his voluntary sacrifice by crucifixion for 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 an icon of the Last Supper at home. But there is a tradition according to which in the house of a Christian who adheres to the Orthodox confession there should be icons depicting Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, and the Saints. But you can decide for yourself what kind of icons they will be.

Thus, having an icon depicting the Last Supper in your home is quite appropriate. 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 more convenient to pray, you can hang it above the table where family meals take place.

You can also find a place for it in your home iconostasis. It should be noted that the Last Supper icon, photos of which are 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 do they pray for at the Last Supper?

Many are interested in the question of what kind of prayers should be offered to this image, how does the Last Supper icon help believers? Here are the answers to this question:

As already mentioned, Communion, closely associated with the Last Supper icon, occurs during the Liturgy almost every day. Therefore, the suffering of Christ, which he accepted on the cross, is constantly remembered by the church. However, there is also a special day on which 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 in 2018 fell on April 5th. 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 suffering, which he accepted for all people on the cross, mourn his death and rejoice at his resurrection. At the same time, they try to join him in soul and body, eating the Holy Gifts, praying, confessing and receiving communion.

Maundy Thursday in folk traditions

Maundy Thursday is also called Clean Thursday. As a rule, when it occurs, Christians strive to go to the bathhouse, and in the absence of such an opportunity, to swim 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, peasants on Maundy Thursday preferred to draw water from a stream or source, 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 into the river old thing, then troubles flowed away with her and various kinds troubles.

Believers often turn to saints for help and to gain spiritual strength.

Faith helps in many matters and its symbols should be present in the home of a true Christian.

For many believers, the presence of icons in the house helps to create a favorable environment, but for some they are the most strong amulets. What kind of icons can be placed in the house?

Image of the Savior and Mother of God

This icon will preserve family happiness and prosperity. It is best to place this icon in the very beautiful place in the living room. In Russian Orthodox tradition iconography there are a lot of images of the Mother of God - Kazanskaya, Vladimirskaya Ave. All of them help and protect us in a variety of life situations.

Wedding icon

If a husband and wife got married, then their wedding icon will be the strongest family amulet for the home. She will preserve love, respect, well-being of the family and protect from any adversity and difficulties.

God's Pleasers

It is appropriate to install icons of the Holy Saints in the home iconostasis. The most revered of them are Nicholas the Wonderworker, Sergius of Radonezh and Seraphim of Sarov. These images are famous for their miraculous powers and power. It is believed that prayer addressed to the Holy Saints will be transferred to God faster.

last supper

If it is customary in your family to pray before meals, then you can hang the “Last Supper” icon in the kitchen, which depicts Jesus Christ and the apostles.

Icons of patron saints of family members

It is also appropriate to place icons of the Guardian Angels of each family member at home. At baptism, everyone is given their own heavenly patron, their own saint. The icons of these saints will become good protection for every family member. It would be especially acceptable to install an icon of the Guardian Angels in a child’s nursery.

Do not forget to treat icons with care. Try to contact them not only in moments of grief and sadness and with requests, but also in times of joy and happiness with words of gratitude. We wish you good luck and don't forget to press the buttons and

08.06.2015 09:51

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Detailed description from several sources: “prayer to the icon of the Last Supper” - in our non-profit weekly religious magazine.

In Christianity there are many miraculous and highly revered icons. But there is one that can be found in every home. This is an 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 the betrayal of Judas, 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 is broken for you for the remission of sins.” Then he drank from the cup and also gave it to his followers, saying that it contained his blood for the atonement of sins. These words later became part of the church ritual 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 worried, asking who they were talking about, but the Lord gave the bread to Judas. On Maundy Thursday, the Christian church remembers this event with a special service.

Meaning of the icon

“The Last Supper” is an icon whose meaning is very clear and at the same time not fully understood. The main, central elements are the wine and bread that are 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 in the role of the lamb, which the Jews traditionally prepared for Passover.

It is difficult to answer today when the Last Supper took place. The icon only conveys the essence of this event, but that is also why it is important. After all, communion with the body and blood of the Lord allows every believer to become part of that meal where the foundations were born christian church, its main sacrament. She talks about the most important thing in the life of a Christian - to accept the sacrifice of Jesus, pass it through your body and soul, and unite with him into one whole.

Hidden symbolism

The icon of the Last Supper is a symbol of true faith and unity of the human race. Scientists who studied biblical texts compared them with other sources, more ancient and independent. They came to the conclusion that Jesus at his meal carried out a ritual that had been established before him a thousand years. Breaking bread, drinking wine from a cup - these are the things that were done by the Jews before him. Thus, Christ did not reject the old customs, but only supplemented them, improved them, and introduced a new meaning into them. He showed that in order to serve God one does not need to leave people or 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 kitchen. Today there is a wide variety of images on this topic. And each icon painter brought to 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 located in a Milan monastery. The legendary painter used a special painting technique, but the fresco very quickly began to collapse. The image depicts Jesus Christ sitting in the center, and the apostles divided into groups. The identification of the students was only possible 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 the disciples learn about betrayal. The painter wanted to show the reaction of each of them, including Judas, because the faces of all the people are turned towards the viewer. The traitor sits, clutching a bag of silver in his hand and placing his elbow on the table (which not a single apostle did). Peter froze, holding a knife in his hand. Christ points with his hands to the treat, that is, bread and wine.

Leonardo uses the symbolism of the number three: behind Christ there are three windows, the disciples sit in threes, and even the outline of Jesus resembles a triangle. Many people try to find a hidden message in the image, some kind of secret and solution to it. Thus, Den Brown believes that the artist showed the meal in an unconventional understanding, claiming that Mary Magdalene is sitting next to Jesus. In his interpretation, this is the wife of Christ, the mother of his children, whom the church rejects. 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 like a magnet, making them think about the frailty of life.

What icons should be at home

Believers often turn to saints for help and to gain spiritual strength.

Faith helps in many matters and its symbols should be present in the home of a true Christian.

For many believers, the presence of icons in the house helps to create a favorable environment, and for some they are the most powerful amulets. What kind of icons can be placed in the house?