The opening ceremony of Paris 2024 Olympics, featuring a tableau resembling ‘The Last Supper’, aimed to celebrate diversity, not disrespect Christianity, organizers have said in response to a massive outrage on social media.
The controversial scene, created by 18 performers, showed an ornately dressed woman at the center of a long table wearing a halo crown and making a heart shape with her hands.
Surrounding her were drag queens in various poses as well as a child. The segment culminated with a scantily-clad man painted from head to toe in sparkling blue curled up on a silver platter.
The Paris Olympics committee described the performance as an “interpretation of the Greek God [of wine and festivity] Dionysus” intended to highlight “the absurdity of violence between human beings.”
However, the segment drew significant dismay from the Catholic Church and the religious right, who claimed that the organizers created a ‘woke’ parody of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his betrayal and crucifixion.
The Catholic church in France said it deplored the ceremony that “included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.”
Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the highest ranking Catholic official in Malta and an official for the Vatican’s powerful doctrinal office, said he had contacted France’s ambassador to Malta to complain about the “gratuitous insult.”
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance,” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said during a press conference.
She added: “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are really sorry.”
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director and mastermind behind the flamboyant opening ceremony, said religious subversion had never been his intention.
“We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that,” he told reporters on Saturday.
While proud of its rich Catholic heritage, France also has a long tradition of secularism and anti-clericalism. Blasphemy is not only legal, but many in the country view it as an essential pillar of freedom of expression.
Surrounding her were drag queens in various poses as well as a child. The segment culminated with a scantily-clad man painted from head to toe in sparkling blue curled up on a silver platter.
The Paris Olympics committee described the performance as an “interpretation of the Greek God [of wine and festivity] Dionysus” intended to highlight “the absurdity of violence between human beings.”
However, the segment drew significant dismay from the Catholic Church and the religious right, who claimed that the organizers created a ‘woke’ parody of Jesus’ last meal with his disciples before his betrayal and crucifixion.
The Catholic church in France said it deplored the ceremony that “included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.”
Archbishop Charles Scicluna, the highest ranking Catholic official in Malta and an official for the Vatican’s powerful doctrinal office, said he had contacted France’s ambassador to Malta to complain about the “gratuitous insult.”
However, the organizers clarified that they did not intend to disrespect any religious group.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
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance,” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said during a press conference.
She added: “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense we are really sorry.”
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director and mastermind behind the flamboyant opening ceremony, said religious subversion had never been his intention.
“We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that,” he told reporters on Saturday.
While proud of its rich Catholic heritage, France also has a long tradition of secularism and anti-clericalism. Blasphemy is not only legal, but many in the country view it as an essential pillar of freedom of expression.
Source: Reuters, TVP World
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