The Paris 2024 Olympics organising committee has issued an apology to Catholics and other Christian groups who were deeply offended by a segment of the opening ceremony. The scene in question, inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper, featured drag queens, a transgender model, and a singer dressed as the Greek god of wine, Dionysus.
Performed against the scenic backdrop of the River Seine, the tableau was meant to highlight the absurdity of violence between humans, according to the organizers’ post on X (formerly Twitter). Despite this intention, the portrayal sparked a significant backlash from religious communities and conservative political figures worldwide.
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance,” Anne Descamps, spokesperson for Paris 2024 Committee, stated at a press conference. “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence, we are really sorry.”
France, a country with a rich Catholic heritage but a strong tradition of secularism and free speech, found itself at the centre of a heated debate. Supporters of the performance lauded its message of inclusivity and tolerance, while critics saw it as a direct affront to Christian values.
The Catholic Church in France expressed its disapproval, condemning the ceremony for what it described as “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.” Monsignor Emmanuel Gobilliard, delegate of the bishops of France for the Games, noted that some French athletes struggled to sleep in the wake of the controversy.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta, an influential figure in the Vatican’s doctrinal office, revealed he had reached out to France’s ambassador in Valletta to voice his protest against the “gratuitous insult.” Meanwhile, the Italian bishops’ conference lamented that what was meant to be a showcase of French culture turned into a “parade of banal errors, accompanied by trite and predictable ideologies.”
Avvenire, the daily Italian newspaper affiliated with the Catholic Church, articulated the sentiment of many critics: “Don’t take us for moralistic bigots, but what’s the point of having to experience every single global event, even a sporting one, as if it were a Gay Pride?”
Political leaders were also vocal in their disapproval. Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy’s far-right League party, called the segment “squalid” and criticised the French for beginning the Olympics by “insulting billions of Christians around the world.” Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán decried the display as a sign of the “moral void of the West.”
The controversy has been seen by some commentators as another instance of the 21st-century culture wars, amplified by the relentless pace of the 24-hour news cycle and social media. Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, defended his vision, stating, “We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that.”
