Many Christians the world over has expressed their disappointment in the 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony which featured people mocking the "Last S
Many Christians the world over has expressed their disappointment in the 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony which featured people mocking the “Last Supper”.
The organizers have apologized to anyone who has been offended by a painting that resembled Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” and defended the idea behind it.
Some Catholic and Christians organizations felt that the tableau, which included drag queens, a transgender model, and a nude singer dressed as Dionysus, was disrespectful.
The organizers apologized after been criticized heavily for the performance from the US religious right and the Catholic Church.
The ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, distanced himself from any parallels with “The Last Supper” after the ceremony, saying it was about celebrating diversity and paying homage to the feast and French gastronomy.
Jolly said he drew inspiration from the “Festin des Dieux” or Banquet of the Gods by Dutch painter Jan Harmensz van Bijlert.
At a press conference on Sunday hosted by the International Olympic Committee, spokeswoman for Paris 2024 Anne Descamps was questioned regarding the outcry.
“It’s clear that there was never any intention to disrespect any religious group. On the contrary, I think that with Thomas Jolly, we really tried to celebrate community tolerance,” Descamps said. “Given the results of the surveys that we shared, we believe that this ambition has been achieved. If people were offended, we are, of course, really, really sorry.”
Following the ceremony, Mr. Jolly gave an explanation of his plans to The Associated Press. “My intention is not to be subversive, or to mock or shock,” Mr. Jolly said. “I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion and not a message of division at all.”
The scene in the painting by Leonardo da Vinci shows Jesus Christ announcing that one of his apostles will betray him. An LGBTQ+ icon and DJ Barbara Butch was surrounded by drag artists and dancers in a scene from Friday’s ceremony.
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