Marcantonio Franceschini, The Last Communion of St. Mary of Egypt
1680
Oil on copper
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1996.9
As in the Golden Legend, the monk Zosimus gives communion to St. Mary of Egypt on his penultimate visit. It is her first communion in the seventeen years she has lived in the desert. In the background is the River Jordan, which she walked across dryshod to meet Zosimus.
The chalice, candle, and linen cloth echo the ritual objects in a traditional Mass. The cloth is as it were a miniature altar cloth and also serves the same purpose as the traditional
paten:
"A small shallow plate or disc of precious metal upon which the element of bread is offered to God at the Offertory of the Mass" ‐ Catholic Encyclopedia
to catch any crumbs that might fall when the communicant receives the host. The presence of angels holding these objects emphasizes that they are heaven-sent.
This is the saint's "last communion" because the following year when Zosimus returns he finds her dead.
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Photographed at the museum by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.