Vatican condemns Paris Olympics’ ‘Last Supper’ performance for ‘ridiculing the religious convictions of many people’

Aug 04, 2024 11:30 AM IST

The Vatican has spoken out on the Paris Olympics opening ceremony over a performance that many said mocked the Last Supper.

The Vatican has spoken out on the Paris Olympics opening ceremony over a performance that many said mocked the Last Supper. The Vatican said on Saturday, August 3, that the controversial performance showed a lack of “respect for others.”

Vatican condemns Paris Olympics’ ‘Last Supper’ performance(X/@Scipionista)

‘There should be no allusions ridiculing the religious convictions of many people’

“The Holy See was saddened by certain scenes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games and cannot but join the voices raised in recent days to deplore the offense done to many Christians and believers of other religions,” the Vatican said in a press release, according to New York Post.

“At a prestigious event where the whole world comes together to share common values, there should be no allusions ridiculing the religious convictions of many people. The freedom of expression, which is clearly not called into question here, is limited by respect for others,” the Vatican added.

The opening ceremony featured a scene showing drag performers and artists lined up at a table on either side of lesbian activist and French DJ Barbara Butch, who wore a halo-like headpiece. The group floated down the Seine on a boat.

The artistic director of the ceremony, Thomas Jolly, claimed the scene was inspired from Greek mythology and the Feast of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine – who was portrayed by a nearly-naked Philippe Katerine, in blue body paint. Jolly said his intention was not “to be subversive, nor to mock or to shock” but he only wished to “send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not at all to divide.”

However, several Christians believe the scene resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco painting of Jesus Christ’s Last Supper. Many condemned the ceremony, including former president Donald Trump, House Speaker Mike Johnson, (R-La.), Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, and others.

News / World News / US News / Vatican condemns Paris Olympics’ ‘Last Supper’ performance for ‘ridiculing the religious convictions of many people’