Based on reports, the 2024 Paris Olympics committee has apologized to Catholics and Christians for the controversial scene that seemed to be a parody of the bible’s ‘The Last Supper’.
In the performance, there was a woman wearing a silver, halo-like headdress at the centre of a long table, while drag queens posed on either side of her.
Later on, a nearly naked man painted blue and made to look like the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, sings on a dinner plate on the table, surrounded by fruit. The whole scene was televised worldwide as part of the opening ceremony on Friday (26 Jul).
The 2024 Paris Olympics has gone full Woke dystopian.
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) July 26, 2024
The opening ceremony was filled with transgend*r mockery of the Last Supper, the Golden Calf idol, and even the Pale Horse from the Book of Revelation.
The Olympics has made it clear that Christian viewers aren't welcome. pic.twitter.com/LgawyE6YRX
Viewers and netizens were not happy, as they quickly linked the sketch to Leonardo Da Vinci’s biblical painting, where Jesus partakes in a final meal with his disciples before his death.
The Catholic church in France noted that it “included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity”. Even the archbishop of Malta wrote:
I have just sent these two messages to H.E. the French Ambassador to Malta expressing my distress & the disappointment of many Christians at the gratuitous insult to the Eucharist during the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. I encourage others to message H.E. pic.twitter.com/KKdebHYh9d
— Bishop CJ Scicluna (@BishopScicluna) July 27, 2024
The ceremony’s artistic director put distance between the two parallels and said it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to feasting and French gastronomy.
Organisers also quickly apologized on Jul 28, for the outcry the scene had caused.
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. The opening ceremony tried to celebrate community tolerance.
“We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence, we are really sorry”, said Paris 2024 spokesperson at a presscon.
