MINIATURIST, Greek
(active mid 6th century in Antioch)

Codex Purpureus Rossanensis (Rossano Gospels)

mid 6th century
Manuscript
Museo dell'Arcivescovado, Rossano Calabro

This detail from folio 7 recto shows the Last Supper as understood liturgically, with the distribution of bread and wine, or to be exact, the proffering of the chalice to the disciples by Christ as priest. The attitudes of the disciples of approaching with hands hidden from view, of raising the arms in prayer, and of kissing the hand, are an exact reflection of liturgical actions of the time during the communion ritual in divine service of early Christian communities of the eastern church.




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