It’s not the most decadent meal many have seen, but what was eaten at the last supper is historic.
While experts can’t say with absolute certainty what was served, some foods were common in the Middle East 2000 years ago.
Monsignor Jamie Gigantiello, a former chef and the pastor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel-Annunciation Parish in Williamsburg did his best to recreate it.
“It’s been 2,000 years,” Msgr. Gigantiello said. “Food has changed, traditions have changed, things have been added, things have been taken out. The foods that I’ve researched that have been eaten, are some of the things that I’ve prepared.”
So here’s what was on the menu:
Lamb Stew
Beans
Olives – With The Pits Of Course –
Fish Sauce
Dates
Unleavened Bread
And Wine
A simple meal to go along with the simple life Christ led.
“If you look at the life of Christ everything was simple,” Msgr. Gigantiello said. “He came among the simplest of people and he chose simple things people could relate to. These are things Jesus used so that people could understand the meaning of his teachings.”
What would be missing from this meal is dairy. Keep in mind Jesus was Jewish, so technically what they ate for the last supper meal was kosher.
“Jesus was Jewish,” Msgr. Gigantiello said. “He stood by the rules and regulations and guidelines of eating a kosher meal and he and the apostles I’m sure followed it to the letter of the law.”
Italian archaeologists researched what the last supper looked like using resources like art, specifically, third century catacomb paintings.
Leonardo da Vinci’s last supper is iconic, but historically inaccurate.
The spread lends itself to several different pairings, the most significant of them all, bread and wine.
“Jesus offered himself, he gave his life, he sacrificed his life for us and the bread and wine,” Msgr. Gigantiello said. “The simplest of food is a message to us, to follow him is very simple, sacrifice, give of yourself to others.”
This food may not be to everyone’s taste, but it’s a reminder that Jesus invites everyone to the table.