Definition

1. Proper noun:
   • The final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his twelve apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. This event is a foundational narrative in Christianity, commemorating the institution of the Eucharist or Holy Communion.

Usage

• "The Last Supper" is always capitalized as it refers to a specific, singular historical and religious event.
• It is used as a singular noun phrase, typically preceded by the definite article "the."
• It is most commonly discussed in religious, theological, artistic, and historical contexts.

Examples

• The painting by Leonardo da Vinci depicting the Last Supper is world-famous.
• During the Mass, the priest recounted the events of the Last Supper.
• The Gospels describe the Last Supper as taking place during Passover.

Advanced Usage

• Theological Symbolism: The term is used to symbolize sacrifice, covenant, and the foundation of Christian liturgy.
  • For many believers, the Eucharist is a direct continuation of the Last Supper.

Variants and Related Words

• Lord's Supper (noun): A synonym often used to refer to the same event, or to the Christian sacrament of Communion that commemorates it.
• Eucharist (noun): The Christian ceremony commemorating the Last Supper, in which bread and wine are consecrated and consumed.
• Holy Communion (noun): Another term for the sacrament of the Eucharist.

Synonyms

• The Lord's Supper
• The Final Meal (descriptive, non-technical)

Related Phrases and Idioms

• "To have one's last supper": A modern, figurative, and often grim idiom meaning to have a final meal before an impending ordeal or death, alluding to the biblical event.
  • Before the surgery, he joked about going out for his last supper.

Noun

1. the traditional Passover supper of Jesus with his disciples on the eve of his crucifixion