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The Vatican has condemned a scene from the Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony that appeared to mock the Last Supper. Many Christians have found the scene offensive.
The ceremony, which took place on July 26, featured drag queens portraying apostles and a lesbian DJ depicted as Jesus.
The display seemingly mocked Leonardo da Vinci’s painting of the Last Supper.
The Holy See issued a statement on Saturday expressing its sorrow over the event. The statement aligns with other Catholic and global leaders who denounced the scene.
The Vatican stated it “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 offence done to many Christians and believers of other religions.
“In a prestigious event where the whole world comes together around common values, there should not be 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.”
Peace is the most important thing
Faith leaders and Paris 2024 Olympics officials gathered on Sunday at Notre Dame Cathedral to try to ease tensions. Despite the controversy, they celebrated the harmony between faith and sport.
Thomas Bach, President of the IOC, highlighted the complementary nature of faith and sport, aiming to showcase peace and unity.
Catholic Bishop Emmanuel Gobilliard echoed this sentiment, stating “We wanted to show that the most important thing is peace”.
Meanwhile, representatives from major religions have set up a shared space for spiritual support in a tent-like structure at the athletes’ village.
This initiative involves Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam and Judaism, providing a peaceful haven for athletes and their staff.
The Olympic organising committee allocated 50 square meters to each religion, ensuring compliance with France’s secularism laws. The spaces reflect dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect, with open doors symbolising unity between the different faith areas.
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