Over the past two months, the 13 men who portray Jesus and the apostles in Nativity Parish’s annual Living Last Supper have been busy.

Due to the pandemic, each has been recording individual soliloquies so that the “live dramatization” of the Last Supper could go on – via a video published on the Fair Haven parish’s homepage and YouTube channel.

“We hope that we can reach the homes of hundreds of people to share the message and reveal what it must have been like at the actual Last Supper, more than 2,000 years ago,” said Patrick Sullivan, a parishioner who has portrayed Jesus over the years.

Related Photo Gallery: 2017 Living Last Supper Performance

The Living Last Supper has been a tradition in the parish since 2012. The dramatization typically begins with the apostles gathered around Jesus as seen in Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting. The actors sit or stand, frozen in place, while each actor delivers a monologue about what that apostle may have been feeling or thinking during the Last Supper.

Though this year’s performance does not show the men gathered around the table, it does portray each walking through nature to “arrive” for the meal.

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Since the 2020 performance was canceled due to the pandemic, Sullivan said all involved were excited to switch to an online format. With the support of Father Jim Grogan, parish pastor, the actors were able to continue the tradition, wearing face masks when necessary and adhering to social distance guidelines.

“We felt it very necessary to reconvene and share our devotion to Jesus,” Sullivan said.