Foot-washing ceremony basin

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INV OR.621
Bacia de cerimónia de lava pés

PLACE/DATE
Lisbon, 17th century (2nd half)

MATERIALS
Prata

DIMENSIONS
Hammered silver

INV
OR.621

This piece of liturgical use was intended for the foot-washing ceremony celebrated at the Mass of the Last Supper, on Holy Thursday, in memory of the last moments spent by Christ with the apostles before the Passion.

This ritual, which replicates Christ’s action, is based on the Gospel of John (13: 1-17) and its practice dates back to at least the 12th century, as a sign of humility and gratitude.

The beauty of this basin lies essentially in the purity of the material exposed and in the simplicity of the object, smooth, with great luminous effect when exposed to the light. Curiously, in a painting preserved in the Museum, also from the 17th century and dedicated to the theme of the foot-washing (Inv. Pin. 213) Jesus uses a basin with identical characteristics to wash the feet of his twelve companions, seated in line and already barefoot for the purpose.