House where Jesus' Last Supper took place with disciples 'close to being discovered'

The house where the Last Supper may have taken place is still standing in Jerusalem 2,000 years later, according to archaeologists.

They believe the Biblical event took place in the 'Upper Room' of a two-storey house with limestone walls and a red, sloping roof that remarkably still stands in the city after two millennia.

The room is briefly mentioned in the Book of Luke 22:11-13, when Jesus Christ asked for a large, furnished upper room where he and his disciples could eat their Passover meal. The Bible recounts the story of the Last Supper in 33 AD, when Jesus sat with his 12 apostles and revealed that one among them would betray him - identifying that man as Judas Iscariot.

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He also told his followers that his death was near and Jesus was crucified by the Romans shortly after being arrested.

According to The Daily Mail, the location has been depicted in several artworks dating back to at least the fourth century AD - which was also when Christians first started visiting the room to honour Christ's last moments of freedom before his crucifixion - thousands of people still visit the Upper Room every year, reports .

In the story, Jesus blessed the bread and wine, and explained it symbolised his body that would be broken and the blood he would shed for the forgiveness of their sins - it is still referenced symbolically today during Christian services incorporating the eucharist sacrament.

The Upper Room, believed by archaeologists to be the site of the Last Supper, also known as the Cenacle, was originally a prayer room capable of accommodating over 120 people. This location is briefly mentioned in the Book of Luke 22:11-13, where Jesus asks for a large, furnished upper room where he and his disciples could share their Passover meal.

This two-storey house is situated in Jerusalem's old city on Mount Zion, positioned above the southern gate. It was built with large, branching columns that supported a vaulted ceiling and a sloping red roof that remains visible today.

However, due to the lack of archaeological excavations at the site, it remains unconfirmed whether the building existed during Jesus' time.

In 1884, while constructing a new church in Madaba, Jordan, Greek Orthodox Christians discovered what is thought to be the earliest map of Jerusalem, dating back to 560 AD. The map was created as a depiction of the Holy Land, showcasing the Cardo Maximus (main street) and two sacred structures at the southern end, identifiable by their red roofs.

However, it wasn't until 2017 that David Christian Clausen, an adjunct lecturer in Religious Studies at the University of North Carolina, noticed something unusual. He was drawn to a building with the same red, sloped roof as the Cenacle, located in the exact same spot.

Scholars were stunned when they stumbled upon a drawing from sixth-century Italy in 1846 that portrays Jesus ambling through Jerusalem's southern gates on a donkey, with what could potentially be the site of the Last Supper, known as the Cenacle, in the background.

The discovery gives gravitas to the narrative found in the Book of Matthew, depicting Jesus' entry into Jerusalem as a fulfilment of Zechariah's prophecy; this prophesy anticipated a 'Second coming of Jesus Christ' and the revival of the dead.

Adding depth to this story is the citation: "Tell the city of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you! He is humble and rides on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Another clue emerged in 1585 AD with the find of a fourth-century sculpture that seemingly shows Jesus post-resurrection, standing before Mary Magdalene with a structure sporting a distinctive slanted roof behind him.

However, the Book of John suggests Jesus ventured back to the Upper Room after his resurrection, a detail that might connect the depiction with the gospel narrative, although not every expert is on board. There are dissenting opinions suggesting the image may actually depict Christ with an unnamed kneeling woman pleading for healing, as opposed to alluding to his triumph over death.

In an epic project reminiscent of a Dan Brown thriller, the Antiquities Authority (IAA) launched a trailblazing examination of the Cenacle in 2019, using cutting-edge laser scanning and high-definition photographic techniques to peel back layers of history and uncover the original appearance of the site believed by many to have hosted the Last Supper.

"I felt like I was in the book by Dan Brown, 'The Da Vinci Code'," said Jerusalem district archaeologist Amit Re'em, sharing his intrigue with Fox News. "We needed to decipher the ancient symbols."

Carefully surveying every nook and cranny, the researchers crafted ‘create accurate models of the space’, unveiling unusual characteristics including ‘obscure’ artwork featuring Agnus Dei or ‘Lamb of God’ emblems, alongside the Lion of Judah iconography on the ceiling.

"The lion was the symbol of King David," Re'em highlighted to Fox, with a nod to historical texts that align Jesus as a scion of King David.

The veracity of the Cenacle as the true venue for the Last Supper has yet to be pinned down, pointed out Re'em, citing a lack of concrete archaeological proof. The dilapidated state, poor lighting, and numerous renovations at the site have long stood in the way of a thorough investigation, according to the IAA.

"From time to time, when we have an opportunity, we're continuing to document other parts of the holy complex," explained Re'em to Fox.

"I hope that maybe, in the future, we will have the opportunity to conduct a small-scale classical archaeological investigation."