The Olympic opening ceremony drew immediate criticism and “saddened” Pope Francis.
“There can be no reference that mocks the religious beliefs of many people,” the Vatican said in a statement released Saturday night.
“The Holy See is saddened by certain scenes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games and cannot help but join the recent voices lamenting the outrage over the offense they caused many Christians and followers of other religions,” the statement said.
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Overview of the Trocadero venue as delegates arrive in Paris for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics on July 26, 2024. (Pool photo by François-Xavier Marit/via Associated Press)
“At such a prestigious event, where the whole world comes together to share common values, there should be no statements that mock the religious beliefs of many. Freedom of expression, which is clearly not at issue here, is limited by respect for others.”
The ceremony began with the appearance of a headless Marie Antoinette, followed by the appearance of a trio, which attracted attention.
But what most infuriated critics was that the ceremony seemed to depict a mock Last Supper, with people dressed as women taking part.
The performance, which took place during a river parade on the Seine last week and featured drag queens seated around tables with figures painted blue sitting on top of them, has been described by many as resembling a Da Vinci painting of the moment in the Gospel of John in which Jesus tells his apostles that one of them will betray him.
Some of the performers in the production of “The Last Supper” for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. (Reuters/Tingshu Wang)
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Olympic organizers have sent mixed messages about the drag scene behind the scenes. One spokesperson reportedly said: New York Post Creative director Thomas Joly said he was inspired by Da Vinci’s painting “The Last Supper,” though others claim there was no intention to cause offense and that he was simply paying homage to Greek mythology.
Many Christian leaders and celebrities expressed disappointment with the portrayal, including Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, fitness guru Jillian Michaels, Elon Musk, actress Candace Cameron Bure and former transgender influencer Oli London.
Delegates arrive at the Trocadero for the Opening Ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris on July 26, 2024. (Loïc Venance/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
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Among the officials who condemned the presentation were House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana; Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia; Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini; Marion Maréchal, a conservative French politician and member of the European Parliament; and Eduard Habsburg, Hungary’s ambassador to the Vatican.
Fox News’ Joseph A. Wolfson, Courtney O’Brien, Brian Flood, Ryan Gaydos and Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
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