Leonardo da Vinci’s mural of the Last Supper may be the most famous depiction of Jesus’ final meal with the disciples before his crucifixion.
But it is only one of many paintings interpreting that moment from the New Testament.
This weekend, the community is invited to St. Mary of Czestochowa church on Kenneth Avenue in New Kensington to view six other historical works and learn more about da Vinci’s painting.
The traveling exhibit — featuring stained glass windows, murals and paintings from churches in Europe — are meant to show how artists in different centuries expressed their understanding of the Eucharist, the event in the New Testament when Jesus shared communion with his followers. The exhibit is being organized through the Diocese of Greensburg.
The final showing of “The Last Supper and the Gift of the Eucharist” will be presented form 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Sunday in Friendship Hall at St. Mary of Czestochowa Church.
Vatican art historian Elizabeth Lev in a video dissects the nuances of da Vinci’s work and how it compares and contrasts with other pieces throughout history.
“Leonardo decided to capture the greatest psychological moment of the story, the moment when Jesus says, ‘One of you will betray me.’”
Lev notes that the eye is drawn to the middle of the painting, where Jesus is framed by three simple windows.
“It gives us the sense of light and at the same time isolates him from all the other apostles.”
“Leonardo uses mathematics, he uses geometry to bring us into this mystery,” Lev said. “What Christ does is drop a stone into still water and everything ripples outwards.”
Da Vinci’s work was nearly destroyed by the ravages of the elements and bombings during World War II, but has survived. “It’s a miraculous painting,” Lev noted.
The work was mostly known among other artists until the 19th century, when more images of The Last Supper were widely published.
Ed Bloch, president of the St. Mary’s Holy Name Society, said the exhibit is part of a larger event called the National Eucharistic Revival.
He said the goal is to help deepen an individual’s faith and strengthen their connections to the church community.
“The motivation is to get more youth to understand their faith, to awaken people,” Bloch said.
The exhibit will next be featured at St. Thomas More University Parish in Indiana, Pa., Nov. 6.
