love feast

(among the early Christians) a meal eaten in token of brotherly love and charity; agape.

a rite in imitation of this, practiced by a number of modern denominations; a fellowship meal.

a banquet or gathering of persons to promote good feeling, restore friendly relations, honor a special guest, etc.

Origin of love feast

First recorded in 1570–80

A love-feast at nine in the morning opened the public services of a Sunday still memorable in the annals of Octavius Methodism.

The Damnation of Theron Ware |Harold Frederic
After the services at the grave the people assembled in the church again to partake of the love-feast.

Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Volume 11, No. 24, March, 1873 |Various
Report gave out a love-feast as a main function, from which the sect got kailites as a nickname.

Bonnie Scotland |A.R. Hope Moncrieff
When they hold out a hand to the needy they sound a trumpet; when they invite to a love-feast they engage a crier.

Women of Early Christianity |Alfred Brittain

His reception by the Italian people was enthusiastic, but his interview with the Pope was hardly a love-feast.

Belford's Magazine, Vol 2, December 1888 |Various

love feast

Also called: agape (among the early Christians) a religious meal eaten with others as a sign of mutual love and fellowship

a ritual meal modelled upon this