The Last Supper and the Paschal Lamb
Jesus and His followers ate the Paschal lamb in the Cenacle, divided into three groups. Jesus ate with the twelve Apostles in the main hall of the Cenacle. Nathanael ate with twelve other disciples in one of the side rooms; another twelve were led by Eliacim, son of Cleophas and Mary (daughter of Heli), who had been a disciple of John the Baptist.
Three lambs were slaughtered for them in the Temple. There was a fourth lamb, however, which was sacrificed in the Cenacle: this is the one Jesus ate with the Apostles. Judas was unaware of this circumstance because, occupied with his plot, he had not returned during the sacrifice of the lamb; he arrived only moments before the meal. The sacrifice of the lamb intended for Jesus and the Apostles was deeply moving; it took place in the vestibule of the Cenacle. The Apostles and disciples were there singing Psalm 118. Jesus spoke of a new era beginning. He said that the sacrifices of Moses and the figure of the Paschal Lamb were about to be fulfilled; but that, for this reason, the lamb had to be sacrificed as of old in Egypt, and that they were truly about to depart from the house of bondage.
The necessary vessels and instruments were prepared. They brought a yearling lamb adorned with a crown, which was sent to the Blessed Virgin at the place where she stayed with the holy women. The lamb was tied, back-down upon a board, across the middle of its body: it reminded me of Jesus tied to the pillar and scourged. The son of Simeon held the head of the lamb: Jesus pierced its neck with the point of a knife, and the son of Simeon finished killing it. Jesus seemed reluctant to wound it; He did it quickly but with gravity. The blood was collected in a basin, and they brought a branch of hyssop which Jesus dipped into it. He then went to the door of the hall and stained the two doorposts and the lock with blood, fixing the bloodied branch above it. Afterward, He gave an instruction and said, among other things, that the Exterminating Angel would pass by; that they should worship in that place without fear or anxiety when He Himself, the true Paschal Lamb, was sacrificed; that a new time and a new sacrifice were about to begin and would last until the end of the world.
Afterward, they went to the far end of the hall, near the hearth where the Ark of the Covenant had once stood: a fire was already burning. Jesus poured the blood upon the hearth and consecrated it as an altar. Then, followed by His Apostles, He walked around the Cenacle and consecrated it as a new temple. Meanwhile, all the doors remained closed.
The son of Simeon had already prepared the lamb. He placed it on a board: the front legs were tied to a crossbar; the hind legs were stretched out along the board. It resembled Jesus on the Cross, and it was placed in the oven to be roasted with the other three lambs brought from the Temple.
The Paschal lambs of the Jews were all killed in the vestibule and in three places: one for people of distinction, another for the common people, and another for foreigners. Jesus’ Paschal lamb was not killed in the Temple; everything else was strictly in accordance with the Law. Jesus spoke yet more words; He said the lamb was only a figure, that He Himself would be the Paschal Lamb the following day, and other things that I have forgotten.
The Ritual Meal
After Jesus spoke thus about the Paschal lamb and its significance, and once Judas had arrived, they prepared the tables. The guests put on travel garments that were in the vestibule—different shoes, a white garment resembling a shirt, and a cloak shorter in front than in back; they tucked their clothes up to the waist. They also had wide sleeves rolled up. Each group went to its designated table: the disciples in the side rooms; the Lord, with the Apostles, in the Cenacle. They took a staff in hand and went two by two to the table; they stood each in their place, the staff leaning against the left arm and their hands raised high.
The table was narrow and about a foot higher than a man’s knee; its shape was that of a horseshoe. Opposite Jesus, inside the semicircle, there was an empty space for serving the dishes. As far as I can remember, to the right of Jesus were John, James the Greater, and James the Less; at the end of the table was Bartholomew, and around the corner, Thomas and Judas Iscariot. To the left of Jesus were Peter, Andrew, and Thaddeus; at the far left was Simon, and around the corner, Matthew and Philip.
In the middle of the table, the Paschal lamb sat on a platter. Its head rested on its front feet, which were placed in a cross; the hind feet were extended. The edge of the platter was covered with garlic. Beside it was a dish with the Paschal roast; also, a dish with green vegetables, and a second dish with small bundles of bitter herbs that looked like aromatic herbs; in front of Jesus was a bowl with other herbs and a dish with a dark sauce. The guests had small round loaves in front of them instead of plates, and ivory knives.
After the prayer, the steward placed the knife for carving the lamb on the table in front of Jesus. He placed a cup of wine before the Lord and filled six cups, each of which sat between two Apostles. Jesus blessed the wine and drank; the Apostles drank two to a cup. The Lord divided the lamb; the Apostles each presented their bread and received their portion. They ate very quickly with garlic and green herbs dipped in the sauce. They did all this standing up, leaning only slightly against the backs of their seats. Jesus broke one of the unleavened loaves, kept a portion, and distributed the rest. Another cup of wine was brought, but Jesus did not drink: "Take this wine and divide it among yourselves; for I shall no longer drink wine until the kingdom of God comes." After eating, they sang; Jesus prayed or taught, and they washed their hands again. Then they took their seats.
The Lord divided yet another lamb, which was taken to the holy women in one of the rooms in the courtyard where they were eating. The Apostles still ate vegetables and lettuce. Jesus was very recollected and serene: I had never seen Him like this. He told the Apostles to forget all the cares they might have. The Blessed Virgin, also at the women's table, was full of serenity. When the other women came to Her and pulled at Her veil to speak to Her, there was a very tender simplicity in Her movements.
The Betrayal Foretold
At first, Jesus was very affectionate with His Apostles; later He became grave and melancholy and said to them: "One of you will betray Me; one of you whose hand is on this table with Me." There was only one dish of lettuce; Jesus distributed it to those on His side and instructed Judas, who was opposite Him, to distribute it on his side. When Jesus spoke of a traitor—a thing that terrified all the Apostles—He said: "A man whose hand is in the same dish or bowl as Mine." This meant: "One of the twelve who eat and drink with Me; one of those who share My bread." He did not clearly point out Judas to the others, as putting one’s hand in the same dish was an expression indicating the greatest intimacy. However, He wanted to give a warning to Judas, who was putting his hand into the same dish as the Lord to distribute the lettuce; Jesus added: "The Son of Man goes, as it is written of Him; but woe to that man who will betray the Son of Man: it would be better for him had he never been born."
The Apostles, agitated, each asked Him: "Lord, is it I?", for they all knew they did not fully understand these words. Peter leaned back toward John behind Jesus and signaled him to ask the Lord who it was; having received some rebukes from Jesus earlier, Peter feared He might have meant him. John was to the right of Jesus, and like everyone, leaning on his left arm, he ate with his right hand: his head was near Jesus’ chest. He leaned against His breast and said: "Lord, who is it?" He was then given a sign that Jesus intended to point out Judas. I did not see Jesus say it with His lips: "This one, to whom I give the bread I have dipped." I do not know if He said it in a low voice; but John knew it when Jesus dipped the piece of bread with the lettuce and presented it affectionately to Judas, who in turn asked: "Lord, is it I?" Jesus looked at him with love and gave him an answer in general terms. For the Jews, this was a token of friendship and trust. Jesus did it with cordial affection to warn Judas without denouncing him to the others; but the latter was inwardly filled with rage. During the meal, I saw a hideous figure sitting at his feet, rising occasionally to his heart. I did not see John tell Peter what Jesus had said, but he reassured him with his eyes.