A vessel for washing feet

The presented object is Lavabo ad mandatum, i.e. a vessel for washing the feet (Latin mandatum). The vessel was used during the ritual of the abbot washing the monks’ feet. In the Catholic Church, this ritual is now a part of the Good Thursday liturgy and refers to the event which precedes the Last Supper when Christ washed his disciples’ feet. The Lavabo is a large repousse copper vessel with walls divided into 8 large curves. The vessel stands on four brass feet in the shape of lion paws. On the sides, along the longitudinal axis, there are two antabs (handles) in the form of lion mouths with rings inside of them. 1st half of the 18th century Museum of the Benedictine Abbey in Tyniec Inventory number: MP/01/2020