The Cenacle is the house where Christ’s Last Supper took place in the first century AD. It is located in Jerusalem on the hill of Zion and still exists today, but the various destructions and reconstructions over the centuries mean that it no longer bears any resemblance to the dwelling of Jesus’ time.
The Cenacle in Jerusalem today
Nevertheless, the city’s three religious communities centre around the Cenacle. The Jews venerate the tomb of King David on the ground floor. For Muslims, it is the tomb of a prophet, mentioned several times in the Koran. So, this is also very important.
On the first floor, in the “Upper Room,” Christians venerate the establishment of the Eucharist by Jesus 2,000 years ago, surrounded by his apostles. The term CENACLE simply means that the memory of Christ’s Last Supper, his last meal with the Twelve, is kept here.
How did it happen?
First moment: Institution of the Eucharist
READING: Mk 14:12-15
“On the first day of unleavened bread, when the Passover was being sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying, “Go into the city and you will see a man carrying a jug of water. Follow him, and wherever he goes in, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Master has sent you to say, ‘Where is my room where I can eat the Passover with my disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready; make preparations for us there.”
COMMENTARY
Two important things:
The Master says: “Where is “my” room?”
A large room furnished and “all ready.”
These two details show that Jesus had prepared the evening well. He alone knew that his death was approaching and that Judas was going to betray him. The last meal took place in a house known only to him. The host, the owner, is not specified.
At the time, all the houses in Jerusalem had at least one terrace and, most often, two storeys. As an upper room was more popular for receptions, Jesus’ last meal with his disciples took place in the upper room.
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READING: Mk 14, 17, 22-24
“When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve” (…) And as they were eating, he took bread, blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “Take it, this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And he said to them, “This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be shed for many.”
L’Institution de l’Eucharistie se passe donc au Cénacle la veille de sa passion, le jeudi saint, et trois jours plus tard, Jésus ressuscite, le jour de Pâques. Pâques est un jour de joie : Jésus a vaincu la mort.
Second moment: The period between Easter and Ascension: The Appearance
This period between Easter and the Ascension lasts 40 days.
To talk about this period, I will refer to the 2 books written by Luke: his Gospel and the book of the Acts of the Apostles. In fact, the two complement each other.
His Gospel provides a number of details that are missing from Acts. The Gospel states that Jesus appeared to the Apostles in Jerusalem, “where the Eleven and their companions were gathered together” as was their custom (Luke 24:33). The Apostles, “startled and terrified,” did not believe him. Jesus showed them his wounds and asked them for something to eat to show them that it was not a ghost but that it was indeed him, Jesus, in the flesh (Luke 24:36-43).
Luke goes on to say:
“Then Jesus took them as far as Bethany, and as he blessed them, he parted from them and was taken up into heaven.”
Luke 24:50-51
These two elements allow us to deduce that Jesus’ appearance among the Apostles took place in the Upper Room.
In fact, the book of the Acts of the Apostles continues what Jesus said during his appearance in the Upper Room.
“When the apostles were gathered together, they asked him: “Lord, is this the time when you are going to restore the kingdom to Israel? He answered them: “It is not for you to know the times and moments which the Father alone has fixed by his authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit descends upon you. Then you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
Acts 1: 6-8
In John’s Gospel, Jesus announces to his Apostles the necessity of his departure, the necessity of the Ascension to allow the coming of the Holy Spirit.
“Now I am going to the one who sent me. (…) It is better for you that I go, for if I do not go, the Paraclete (the Holy Spirit) will not come upon you (…) When he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you to all truth”.
Jn 16: 5, 7, 13
Jesus took them as far as Bethany, separated from them and was sent up to heaven.
Pentecost
“Then they returned to Jerusalem. When they entered the city, they went up to the “upper room” where they were staying.”
Acts 1:12-13
There were 12 of them, including Mary, the mother of Jesus.
“Suddenly, a sound like a violent gust of wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were. And there appeared to them tongues, which were said to be of fire; and which parted and came to rest upon each of them. Then they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.”
Acts 2: 2-4
Luke uses the image of a “violent gust of wind,” which in Exodus 19:16 recalls the signs of God’s action at the Giving of the Law on Mount Sinai in thunder and fire.
Exodus refers to the Old Covenant with the Jewish people, the foundation of Judaism.
In the Book of Acts, the gift of the Holy Spirit marks the New Covenant, born of Christ’s Resurrection.
All this was foretold by the prophet Joel, who had God say: “It shall come to pass in the last days, that I will pour out my Spirit upon every creature: your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, and your elders shall dream dreams. I will pour out my Spirit on my servants and handmaidens in those days, and they will prophesy (…) Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
Conclusion
The institution of the Eucharist, the appearance of Jesus to the apostles after his Resurrection and the Gift of the Holy Spirit all took place in the Upper Room. It is therefore, the place where Christianity took root.
We can, therefore, take up the words of Pope Francis, which he said in 2014 at the Cenacle during a Mass concelebrated with 80 patriarchs, bishops, and priests. In his homily, the Holy Father emphasised the messages that come to us from the Upper Room.
“Here the Church was born, and from here she came forth. She left here with the broken bread in her hands, the wounds of Jesus in her eyes, and the Spirit of love in her heart. In the Upper Room, the Risen Jesus was sent by the Father to the apostles to communicate his Spirit to them, and with this power, he sent them to renew the face of the earth. The Church on the move preserves the memory of what happened here. The Holy Spirit remembers every word, every gesture, and reveals the way.”
The Last Supper (the Upper Room) reminds us of the last moments, the last actions of the life of Jesus.
His example means, in the words of the Pope, “welcoming one another, accepting one another, loving one another, serving one another.”
Aline Fournier
