Upper Room (Cenacle)

In the Bible

The disciples prepared the Passover in a large upper room in the city, and Jesus ate it with the apostles. At Pentecost the disciples were together in one house when the Spirit came.

Mark 14:12–16On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was to be sacrificed, Jesus’ disciples asked Him, “Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?” So He sent two of His disciples and told them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jug of water will meet you. Follow him, and whichever house he enters, say to the owner, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is My guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ And he will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” So the disciples left and went into the city, where they found everything as Jesus had described. And they prepared the Passover.

Luke 22:14–20When the hour had come, Jesus reclined at the table with His apostles. And He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before My suffering. For I tell you that I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, He gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the kingdom of God comes.” And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you.

Acts 2:1–4When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw tongues like flames of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

Tradition

By tradition since the 4th century, Pentecost, and later the Last Supper too, is remembered on this hill, now called Mount Zion, where the church of Holy Zion stood; the room below is venerated as the tomb of David.

Here today

A vaulted Gothic hall of the Crusader period, restored in the 14th century; below it, the venerated tomb of David.

Through the eyes of old pilgrims

For the priests read the passage from the Acts of the Apostles (because the place is in Sion, there is another church there now), where once after the Lord's passion a multitude was collected with the Apostles.Egeria, c. 381–384

… one climbs by steps as if to an upper room; there a chamber is beautifully built, as if on pillars and with a vault, adorned with mosaic and finely paved … and in that cell Christ ate the supper with his disciples … In that same place the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles at Pentecost.Abbot Daniel, 1106–1108 · our translation

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Land outlines: Natural Earth (public domain).