After some delay the Blockbuster film, "The Passion of the Christ" is scheduled to premiere on Friday at the Princess Cinema to a full house.

For Belize's mostly Christian population, the story of Christ is particularly resonant now during the Lenten season - and that's why a new piece of art by photographer Richard Holder should stir a "passionate" reaction. Holder has photographed his interpretation of the last supper; it's a provocative image that's sure to raise some eyebrows and maybe even stir controversy. We got a first look at the piece and asked some experts on art and religion if it's sacrilege or a valid statement.

Keith Swift Reporting,
These images of the last supper - especially this one - as rendered by Leonardo Da Vinci in 1495 are some of the most well known paintings and mosaics in all of history. We've all seen some version of it, because art like this is so popular across all sects of Christianity. And in two thousand years of renderings of this singular event, each artist had his or her own take on it - but we guarantee, you've never seen one like this. It's Belizean photographer Richard Holder's provocative interpretation.

Richard Holder, Artist
"I wanted to do something different from the traditional long hair white looking Jesus. I think considering where Jesus was geographically at that time he would have been a darker skin fellow. But I am not trying to change history - I am just doing my interpretation of it."

A few weeks ago, Holder called upon local Rastafarians to take part in the historic shoot. Donald Matura plays Jesus - as his disciples watch in stunned disbelief as he breaks the bread.

Richard Holder,
"This is a very very decisive moment when Jesus is breaking the bread and everybody is looking at him and that's basically what's happening in that moment."

For Christians it's a central, even doctrinal moment in the life of Christ - but is the image that the canon of western history has given us sacred? And does Holder's picture defile that sanctity? Well the truth is, no one was there with a camera on the night of the last supper, and in terms of representing reality Da Vinci's version is as legitimate as Holder's. And Holder asserts that the real Jesus may have looked more dark than white, and more dread than baldhead.

Richard Holder,
"In a sense to me it was logical to use Rastafarians to make this picture come to life because I believe that Jesus was outcast in his days just as how these people are today and nobody takes these guys seriously. And that's not how I view them and I want to represent them in a regal way and to me if anything this picture is more true to what Jesus could have been."

But what did Jesus really look like?

Yasser Musa, Art Historian
"Historically people have visualized him to being a European white along with other white men sitting at this table."

Art historian Yasser Musa says that the crisis of Christ's image is particular to Christianity.

Yasser Musa,
"That is a risk that Christianity has undertaken because you notice in Islam there is no visualization of their prophets, of their stories, and you cannot find a picture of Mohammed or Allah. Christianity has however taken I believe, an interpretative approach towards visualizing."

"There is no real visual definition of the last supper, it was a story that was told in the bible so there is no real answer as how Jesus or his disciples would look."

And because of that lack of clarity and the need of the Christian faith to generate imagery to support belief, contemporary artists like Richard Holder have free reign to spoil many perceptions.

Yasser Musa,
"There is no denying that what Holder has done, many Belizeans will see his version fitting to their view - I think some people will be offended - but I don't think they can be offended from a Christian standpoint because the Christians believe everybody is equal. So you might be offended by racial or some other issue."

But one man who has no such issues is Reverend David Goff he embraces the artwork.

Rev. David Goff, Methodist Church
"To portrait Jesus as a black man I don't have a problem with. I think we have various interpretations of Jesus and growing up with portraits of a European person with long hair and then also seeing a black man as Jesus so they are different interpretations. I don't see one as being superimposed or more authentic than the other. It's just how people from their perspective understand and look at the Christ."

"Perhaps in the mind of some persons they might think it is sacrilege to take something out of scripture and put it this way but I beg to differ because I think it shows a seriousness that artists has for this event that he feels he wants to interpret it in the context of modern history and contemporary thinking."

But Rev. Goff agrees that even if its sparks debate and resentment - art that challenges beliefs, even what are though to be sacred beliefs, is important.

Rev. David Goff,
"I think its important because it helps the Bible to come and alive and become more real rather than abstract. It will definitely for me spark a lot of debate and discussion which could be healthy."

Yasser Musa,
"How people react to it? That is their thing and that is the greatness of art. I cannot make a commentary on how people will react to it but I certainly believe that some people react negatively to it and some will react positively. But I believe what the artist has done is interpreted something in a 21st century - his generation - and put on the table to view and react to. That is the job of the public to view and react to."

-Produced by Jules Vasquez

You can see Holder's 'Last Supper' yourself at Richard Holder.com. It will be submitted as his contribution to landings, an international art festival in Merida.