UPDATED | The organizers of the Paris Olympics have apologized to the Catholic Church and all Christian teams affected by the depiction of the Final Supper throughout the opening ceremony. In a scene harking back to Leonardo da Vinci’s well-known work depicting the final meal of Jesus Christ, his apostles have been portrayed by drag queens or a transgender mannequin, an nearly bare singer portrayed the Greek god of wine, Dionysus.
The ceremony’s creative director Thomas Jolly denied that the criticized scene was meant to be a parallel to the Final Supper. Its intention was to have fun variety and pay homage to feasting and French gastronomy. “My want is to not problem or mock or shock,” Jolly advised the AP. “Most of all I wished to ship a message of affection, a message of inclusion, not division,” he added.
“Clearly, it was by no means our intention to point out disrespect to any non secular group. The opening ceremony sought to have fun tolerance in society,” organizing committee spokeswoman Anne Descamps mentioned at a press convention. “We’re satisfied that we managed to satisfy it. If it offended anybody, we’re deeply sorry,” she added.
The practically four-hour present, which was speculated to confer with equality, brotherhood and respect, amongst different issues, drew criticism from the Vatican. “This excessive perfect has been tarnished by a blasphemous mockery of probably the most sacred moments in Christianity,” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia mentioned in an interview with Il Giornale newspaper.
The practically four-hour present, which was speculated to confer with equality, brotherhood and respect, amongst different issues, drew criticism from the Vatican. “This excessive perfect has been tarnished by a blasphemous mockery of probably the most sacred moments in Christianity,” Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia mentioned in an interview with Il Giornale newspaper.
The interpretation of the biblical theme outraged, amongst others, the French Bishops’ Convention. “Sadly, this ceremony additionally contained scenes by which Christianity was mocked, which we deeply remorse,” her representatives mentioned in an announcement. Different representatives of the church and conservative French politicians joined the criticism.
CTK
