How the Sacrament of the Eucharist Is Reflected in the Painting the Last Supper by Leonardo Da Vinci

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Essay 1: Sacraments of Initiation The Eucharist is the sacrament that nourishes the spirit and it is the first time a person is one with Christ. The Catholic sacrament of the Eucharist is reflected in the painting of The Last Supper, painted by Leonardo da Vinci. This can be proved by the scripture passage that inspired da Vinci to paint The Last Supper, the dimensions of Religion that are reflected in the painting and the symbols used in the painting that are also part of the sacrament. The Last Supper is recorded in the Gospel of Luke (chapter 22: verse 7-23) and begins with the phrase, ‘Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”’ In this passage, Jesus and his disciples all dine together and Jesus offers them all bread and wine. As he offers the bread he tells his disciples that it is his body and that the wine is his blood. At the conclusion of the supper, he declares that one of the disciples will betray him. It is this particular scripture passage that inspired the artist to paint their picture. When a person receives this sacrament they are first greeted by the minister. The liturgy of the Word is then held, which includes reading The Nicene Creed, Prayers of Intercession and Confession, and the greeting of peace. Then begins the liturgy of the Sacrament, which contains the Eucharistic Prayer and the receiving of the sacrament, in which the person receiving will eat bread and drink wine, which symbolize the body and blood of Christ. Although this is the way in which the Catholic Church has structured the spiritual/faith journey to guide a person, the artwork reflects the sacrament differently. The Last Supper shows the disciples having the bread and wine with Jesus; however the process of the sacrament is not shown. The

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