The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".

The First Epistle to the Corinthians is the earliest known mention of the Last Supper. The overall narrative of Canonical Gospels share the elements that the Last Supper took place towards the end of the week, after Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and that Jesus and his disciples shared a meal shortly before Jesus was crucified at the end of that week. During the meal Jesus predicts his betrayal by one of the disciples present, and foretells that Peter will deny knowing him later that day.

The three Synoptic Gospels and the First Epistle to the Corinthians include the account of the institution of the Eucharist (and a new covenant) in which Jesus takes bread, breaks it and gives it to the disciples, saying: "This is my body which is given for you". The Gospel of John does not include this episode, but tells of Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles, and has a detailed Farewell discourse by Jesus, calling the Apostles who follow his teachings "friends and not servants", as he prepares them for his departure.

Scholars have looked to the Last Supper as the source of early Christian Eucharist traditions. Others see the account of the Last Supper as derived from 1st-century eucharistic practice as described by Paul in the mid-50s.

The name and its usageThe term "Last Supper" does not appear in the New Testament. However, traditionally, many Christians refer to the New Testament accounts of the last meal Jesus shared with his disciples as the Last Supper. The Last Supper was likely a retelling of the events of the last meal of Jesus among the early Christian community, and became a ritual which recounted that meal.

Anglicans and Presbyterians use the term "Lord's Supper", stating that the term "last" suggests this was one of several meals and not the meal. The term "Lord's Supper" refers both to the biblical event and the act of Eucharistic celebration within liturgy. Many Protestants also use the term Lord's Supper.

The Eastern Orthodox use the term "Mystical Supper" which refers both to the biblical event and the act of Eucharistic celebration within liturgy.

Scriptural basis

The last meal that Jesus shared with his disciples is described in all four Canonical Gospels, namely in Matthew 26:17-30, Mark 14:12-26, Luke 22:7-39 and John 13:1-17:26. This meal later became known as the Last Supper.

Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians (11:23-26), which was likely written before the Gospels includes a reference to the Last Supper, but emphasizes the theological basis rather than a detailed description of the event, or its background.

Background and setting

The overall narrative that is shared in all Gospel accounts that leads to the Last Supper is that after the Triumphal entry into Jerusalem early in the week, and encounters with various people and the Jewish elders, Jesus and his disciples share a meal towards the end of the week. After the meal Jesus is betrayed, arrested, tried and then crucified.

Key events in the meal are the preparation of the disciples for the departure of Jesus, the predictions about the impending betrayal of Jesus, and the foretelling of the upcoming denial of Jesus by Apostle Peter.

The institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is remembered by Roman Catholics as one of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary,the First Station of the Scriptural Way of the Cross and by most Christians as the "inauguration of the New Covenant", mentioned by the prophet Jeremiah, fulfilled at the last supper when Jesus "took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, 'Take; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, 'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.'"Other Christian groups consider the Bread and Wine remembrance to be a change to the Passover ceremony, as Jesus Christ has become "our Passover, sacrificed for us" (I Corinthians 5:7), and hold that partaking of the Passover Communion (or fellowship) is now the sign of the New Covenant, when properly understood by the practicing believer.

These meals evolved into more formal worship services and became codified as the Mass in the Catholic Church, and as the Divine Liturgy in the Eastern Orthodox Church; at these liturgies, Catholics and Eastern Orthodox celebrate the Sacrament of the Eucharist. The name "Eucharist" is from the Greek word ε?χαριστ?α (eucharistia) which means "thanksgiving".

Early Christianity observed a ritual meal known as the "agape feast" These "love feasts" were apparently a full meal, with each participant bringing food, and with the meal eaten in a common room. They were held on Sundays, which became known as the Lord's Day, to recall the resurrection, the appearance of Christ to the disciples on the road to Emmaus, the appearance to Thomas and the Pentecost which all took place on Sundays after the Passion.

The Last Supper has been a popular subject in Christian art. Depictions of the Last Supper in Christian art date back to early Christianity and can be seen in the Catacombs of Rome. Byzantine artists frequently focused on the Apostles receiving Communion, rather than the reclining figures having a meal. By the Renaissance, the Last Supper was a favorite topic in Italian art.

There are three major themes in the depictions of the last supper. The first theme is the dramatic and dynamic depiction of Jesus' announcement of his betrayal. The second theme is the moment of the institution of the tradition of the Eucharist. The depictions here are generally solemn and mystical. The third major theme is the farewell of Jesus to his disciples, in which Judas Iscariot is no longer present, having left the supper. The depictions here are generally melancholy, as Jesus prepares his disciples for his departure. There are also other, less frequently depicted scenes, such as the washing of the feet of the disciples.

Well known examples include Leonardo da Vinci's depiction, which is considered the first work of High Renaissance art due to its high level of harmony, Tintoretto's depiction which is unusual in that it includes secondary characters carrying or taking the dishes from the table and Salvadore Dali's depiction combines the typical Christian themes with modern approaches of Surrealism.