RELIC OF THE TABLE OF THE LAST SUPPER

Rare 19th-century bronze reliquary with a glass front containing a Christological relic attributed to the table of the Last Supper (Mensae D.N.J.C.).

This reliquary features an antique bronze mount, now patinated by time, with an original upper suspension loop. The glass front protects a simple and authentic interior composition, characteristic of small portable devotional reliquaries.

The background is made of a deep purple textile, the traditional color of the blood of Christ, serving as a liturgical setting and enhancing the sacred elements.

At the center, the relic appears in the form of a small wooden fragment, mounted on a paper support, following a technique typical of the period. A surrounding border of metallic cannetille encircles the sacred field, forming a protective crown.

The ensemble is accompanied by two old handwritten labels:

“Mensae …”
“D.N.J.C.”
→ Mensae Domini Nostri Jesu Christi

Translation: From the table of Our Lord Jesus Christ

This is therefore a relic traditionally attributed to the table of the Last Supper, the central moment of Christ’s final meal with his apostles. This type of relic, particularly rare, generally belongs to the category of contact relics or to devotional traditions associated with holy sites.

The reverse of the reliquary displays a fine relief matrix depicting a saint holding a book and a palm, probably an apostle or evangelist, surrounded by a beaded and concentric decorative motif.

The reliquary is sealed at the back with an ecclesiastical red wax seal, still well preserved despite some alterations, ensuring the integrity of the object. The fastening threads are intact.

Good overall condition with age-related wear.
Unopened.

PERIOD : 19th century
DIMENSIONS : 3 cm × 2.5 cm
SIZE : 1.2" × 1"

The table of the Last Supper holds a central place in Christian tradition, as the witness to Christ’s final meal with his apostles. It is around it that the Eucharist was instituted, a foundational act of Christian liturgy. It symbolizes at once sharing, sacrifice, and the imminent Passion. In religious imagination, it is often perceived as a place of contemplation and revelation, where fidelity and betrayal intertwine. Fragments attributed to it have been preserved and transmitted through the centuries, receiving particular veneration due to their direct connection with this foundational event. Both a concrete and highly symbolic object, it connects the faithful to a key moment in sacred history. Thus, the table of the Last Supper remains a powerful symbol of unity, memory, and living faith.