It also depicted Prime Minister Christopher Luxon as Judas, in a somewhat bizarre take on Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper painting.

The student magazine took to social media this week to explain its centre-spread artwork and to reinforce that it never intended to disrespect or insult any religion.

"Canta respects all religious identities and backgrounds," it wrote.

"Our intention for the centrefold was to bring to light how politicians are often held on a pedestal, much like religious figures often are," Canta managing editor Hariklia Nicola told The NZ Herald's Media Insider, reinforcing the comments that the magazine had posted on social media.

"In addition to this, we wanted to highlight the specific meaning behind the Last Supper imagery, to demonstrate that although politicians are often seen as separate entities fighting different fights - and sometimes against each other - that at the end of the day, they are united in their purpose to better the lives of people in New Zealand however they may see fit."

That doesn't quite explain why Swarbrick was selected as Jesus, while Luxon is Judas, the traitor. Continue reading

Thomas Jolly, the 42-year-old mastermind of the ceremony, addressed the controversy surrounding one of the most debated scenes which featured a nearly nude performer.

He firmly denied that this tableau was inspired by Leonardo Da Vinci's "The Last Supper", a piece of Christian iconography.

"The concept was to create a grand pagan celebration connected to the gods of Olympus" Jolly explained to BFMTV.

"I aimed for a ceremony that unites people, that reconciles while also affirming our Republican values of liberty, equality and fraternity."

The scene, which depicted drag queens in a manner reminiscent of "The Last Supper", sparked widespread criticism for its perceived mockery of a sacred Christian event.

Apology-lite

Representatives of the Paris 2024 Olympics Committee have since apologised to those offended, insisting they intended to foster inclusion and celebrate diversity.

"Clearly, there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. If people have taken any offence, we are of course really, really sorry" Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said during an International Olympic Committee news conference.

However, the apology has not quelled the controversy.

Bishop Barron's 'both barrels'

Bishop Robert Barron, a prominent Catholic commentator, called on Christians to "keep raising our voices" against the Paris Olympics.

Barron condemned the depiction as a "gross mockery of the Last Supper" and criticised the committee's apology as disingenuous.

"Give me a break" Barron said.

"We have a group of drag queens cavorting in a sexually provocative way, clearly in imitation of Da Vinci's Last Supper, and no disrespect was meant? You think anyone takes that seriously?"

Wider criticism

The controversy has extended beyond Christian circles, with top government officials in the US, Iran and Turkey also speaking out against the performance.

Republican Presidential hopeful Donald Trump said on Monday he thought it was "a disgrace".

"I'm very open-minded" the former president told Fox News host Laura Ingraham, "but I thought what they did was a disgrace."

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, condemned the "insults" against Jesus Christ, noting that Jesus is a respected figure in Islam.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan expressed his intention to discuss the matter with Pope Francis, saying "The disgraceful scene in Paris offended not only the Catholic world, not only the Christian world, but also us as much as them."

Performer takes legal action

Meanwhile, French DJ and women's rights activist Barbara Butch has filed a formal complaint with authorities following a wave of online harassment stemming from her appearance at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.

Butch, who performed in a segment that critics likened to Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper", says she has faced a barrage of discriminatory messages and threats since the event last Friday.

The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed receipt of Butch's complaint and has assigned a specialised hate crimes unit to investigate.

According to officials, the probe will focus on "discriminatory messages based on religion or sexual orientation that were sent to her or posted online".

Sources

• rfi
• Daily Wire
• USA News
• CNA

During the Olympic ceremonies, 18 performers re-created the scene, a depiction of Jesus Christ's final meal with his disciples before his crucifixion.

The scene featured some half-naked performers, one in the middle with a halo atop her head, behind a long table. A man who was painted blue, and with only vines covering his genitals, sat in the middle of the table and was surrounded by flowers.

Church reacts

Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta sent two messages to the French ambassador to Malta expressing his distress and the disappointment of many Christians at the display.

Scicluna stated "Such performances, especially on a global stage, should respect the beliefs and traditions of all faiths. This portrayal was a blatant disregard for what many hold sacred".

The Catholic Church in France also criticised the segment, with the French bishops deploring the scenes.

While the ceremony was a "marvellous display of beauty and joy, rich in emotion and universally acclaimed", the French bishops said it "unfortunately included scenes of mockery and derision of Christianity which we deeply regret. We would like to thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity with us" they wrote.

"We are thinking of all the Christians on every continent who have been hurt by the outrageousness and provocation of certain scenes. We want them to understand that the Olympic celebration goes far beyond the ideological biases of a few artists" the bishops stressed.

Extremely disrespectful to Christians

The performance also attracted criticism from high-profile individuals outside the Catholic community.

Elon Musk tweeted his disapproval, saying "This was extremely disrespectful to Christians".

People from around the globe, including lawmakers, took to social media shortly after, questioning why the scene was included in the opening ceremony.

Media personality Piers Morgan posted: "Would they have mocked any other religion like this? Appalling decision".

Showbiz journalist Stephanie Takyi commented: "To be honest, I don't think they would have done that about Islam because they know that they would have gone to the streets, and it would have been a wrap for the Olympics.

"They feel like for Christianity, because we're quite subdued, let's make a mockery of it."

Dutch politician Geert Wilder who runs the Party for Freedom, tweeted: "So mocking Christianity is ok, but when I publish some Muhammad cartoons the left cries blasphemy and radical imams issue fatwas. Double standards of the worst kind."

"The Olympics has basically turned into one long drag show" anti-woke cultural commentator Libs of TikTok wrote. "The Olympics has gone completely woke."

"This is crazy. Opening your event by replacing Jesus and the disciples at the The Last Supper with men in drag" radio host Clint Russell said. "There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate, Not Welcome."

About the artwork

Despite the backlash, particularly Archbishop Scicluna's "gratuitous insult" comment, some defended the performance.

Journalist Fraser Myers said the reenactment was "about the artwork" and the organisers weren't trying to offend.

He explained: "I think what the intention was that the theme of the show was actually re-creating paintings.

"The Last Supper is in the Louvre. It's one of the greats, you know. So, I think that's what they were trying to do. I don't think they were trying to cause offence."

Meanwhile, the LGBTQ Out magazine praised "queens everywhere" for "this huge moment for drag performers breaking through the mainstream and showing their talents to the entire world".

Additionally, other acts such as the beheading of Marie Antoinette and Philippe Katerine's portrayal of Dionysus, the god of wine, also sparked debate among divided fans.

Critics argue these performances were disrespectful, while supporters view them as bold artistic expressions meant to challenge traditional norms and celebrate diversity and inclusion on a global stage.

Sources

Newsbook

GB News

FoxNews

National Review

America Magazine

Vicar of Geraldine Reverend Tony Kippax said The Last Supper by John Badcock, 13 panels of self-portraits measuring 13 metres long, would be a backdrop to services during Lent which was a time of reflection and self-examination before Easter. Continue reading

He attracted global media attention when, on his first Holy Thursday as pope, he washed the feet of men and women at a juvenile detention centre on the outskirts of Rome. Then at the beginning of this year he issued new rules governing the foot-washing rite, insisting that it should not be restricted to men.

The Pope's guidance will be put into effect around the world for the first time next week. It is therefore a good time to take stock of the practice, its origins and background, and to reflect on what is has to offer us today as disciples.

If you lived in the hot, dusty world of sandals before asphalt roads, when animals provided the only motive power other than your own feet, there would be nothing so welcoming after even a short journey than a chance to wash your feet.

Given that such a journey is always hard on the legs and back, an even better welcome would be if you could sit down and have someone wash your feet for you.

The literature of antiquity abounds with references to foot-washing, but it is enough to mention two examples.

In Genesis 18 we have the story of the wondrous visit of the Lord, in the form of three men, to Abraham at Mamre. The first sign of welcome is that Abraham arranges for the visitors' feet to be washed. The other example is from the Rule of St Benedict on the welcome to be shown to guests. When travellers arrive at Benedictine monasteries they are to be given water to wash their hands, and the abbot and some of the community are to wash the guests' feet. Continue reading

• Thomas O'Loughlin is the author of Washing Feet: Imitating the Example of Jesus in the Liturgy Today (Liturgical Press).

With Easter coming up on April 5, Vivino has taken the challenge to investigate what wine would have been served at the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his Apostles before his crucifixion.

To help us understand where and why the Last Supper took place, we turned to Father Daniel Kendall, professor of Catholic studies at the University of San Francisco.

And to better understand the winemaking process and wine styles available at the time of the Last Supper, we enlisted Dr. Patrick McGovern, adjunct professor of anthropology at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the Biomolecular Archaeology Project for Cuisine, Fermented Beverages and Health at the University of Pennsylvania Museum in Philadelphia.

Where and When Was the Last Supper?
Needing to first establish a time and location that the Last Supper took place, as well as get an understanding of what drew this group together we turned to Father Kendall.

"The Last Supper most likely took place on the Thursday celebration of Passover, according to three of the four Gospels," says Father Daniel Kendall, S.J.

"The Gospels give a date of around A.D. 30. From the descriptions it was most likely a Seder meal. Since it was and is the most important of Jewish feasts, wine would have been part of the festivities. Unlike John the Baptist, Jesus drank wine."

The wine present would have had to pair well with traditional Seder fare, which includes: maror or chazeret, a type of bitter herb; charoset, a sweet, brown, pebbly paste of fruits and nuts; karpas, a vegetable (usually parsley or celery) that is dipped into salt water before eating; zeroa, a roasted lamb shank bone or chicken wing; and beitzah, a hard-boiled egg.

Knowing where and when the Last Supper took place gives us a chance to focus on one area and one time period and better address the next question on our journey: What styles of wine, grapes and winemaking techniques were available at this time? Continue reading

Sources

• Vivino
• Image: timeanddate.com

The Pope is scheduled to celebrate Mass in the Cenacle, believed to be the site of the Last Supper, during his visit to the Holy Land from May 24-26.

The site is also held by Jews to be the tomb of King David.

Some Orthodox Jews fear the Pope's visit to the Cenacle will lead to the Israeli government turning portions of the site over to the Vatican.

"When 'the crusaders' come here making the sign of the cross and all kinds of rituals, this place will become idolatrous for us, and we will not have the right to pray there any more," ultra-Orthodox Jewish protester Yitzhak Batzon told AFP.

The protest was on May 12.

Continue reading

The same sources say that the tax status of Church properties has been resolved, with exemptions to be allowed for Catholic churches and cemeteries, but not for commercial buildings — such as gift shops and restaurants — that are attached to churches.

Negotiations between the Holy See and Israel have been under way, with stops and starts, since the "Fundamental Agreement" of 1993 that opening the way for Vatican recognition of Israel.

According to Vatican reporter Andrea Tornielli, the Cenacle or Upper Room on Mount Zion would remain under Israeli state ownership. But the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land — which previously owned the building, and sought its return — would have administrative control over it.

This would mean that Catholics will be able to celebrate Mass there.

Tornielli reported that two issues which apparently remain unresolved are a parking lot on Mount Zion, near the Cenacle, and a place of worship in Caesarea, on the Israeli coast.

While the Custody is claiming ownership of the parking lot, the state of Israel says it cannot change the land's use as a car parking space, but in exchange it is offering the Custody a piece of land in different area.

At the archaeological site of Caesarea, the Latin Patriarchate had a small church dedicated to St Paul (who left from Caesarea to go to Rome).

When the state of Israel was created, the patriarchate was dispossessed of the land and the church was demolished. Now the Holy See would like to have a place of worship in the area.

Source:

Vatican Insider

Image: Seetheholyland.net