The Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. (I Corintthians 11:23-26, KJV)
As Jesus makes his way toward Golgotha, we pause in our series on Lenten-themed Ukrainian artworks in the Sacred Art Pilgrim Collection to reflect on his final meal with his disciples. Christ gives them bread and wine, telling them it is his body and blood to be broken and poured out to save humanity, words recorded in this earliest description of Holy Communion in the Apostle Paul's letter to the Church in Corinth. Ulyana Tomkevych, an icon maker from Lviv, offers us a mystical image of the Last Supper in her tempera on wood panel painting, Christ the Grapevine, based on Christ's reference to himself as "the True Vine" in John 15:1. Also known as the Mystical Vine or the Mystical Winepress, this striking Eucharistic motif shows a grapevine growing out of the spear-pierced side of the Crucified Christ. The fruit from the encircling branch appears as blood-red wine in a Communion chalice in the upper right. This icon by Tomkevych can be found on the New Iconography of Lviv page in the Schools of Sacred Art section. Pray for the Peace of Ukraine! (John Kohan)