Anger in Vatican: 'Blasphemousmockery' at Olympic party
The Olympic Summer Games in Paris are opened with an opulent ceremony on the Seine. As expected, the spectacular show has drawn criticism. The Vatican has expressed criticism of the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris. During the nearly four-hour show, there were themes of equality, brotherhood, and respect. "This lofty ideal was tarnished by a blasphemous desecration of one of the holiest moments of Christianity," said Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, President of the Pontifical Academy for Life, a Catholic Church institution for ethical questions. Paglia expressed his criticism in an interview with the newspaper "Il Giornale."
The Vatican is not the only one to have criticized the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris. At issue were scenes that recalled Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting "The Last Supper," which depicts Jesus Christ and his apostles. In the Olympic opening ceremony, however, the apostles were portrayed by drag queens, a transgender model, and a nearly naked singer.
Before Paglia, other church leaders had already expressed their displeasure, including the French Bishops' Conference. Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau, responsible for sports in the German Bishops' Conference, wrote on X about a "queer Last Supper" that was a "low point and in the staging completely over the top." Conservatives and right-wing politicians in France also criticized, as did the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Foreign Ministry.
The organizers dismissed the criticism and referred to artistic freedom. Organizing Committee CEO Tony Estanguet stated that the show was intended to provoke thought and had been aligned with the IOC's basic principles. "Our intention was never to be offensive," said the director of the opening ceremony, Thomas Jolly. "Artistic creation is free in France." The idea was to be inclusive, which means not excluding anyone.
The International Olympic Committee, despite the controversy surrounding the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris, has remained silent on the matter. It's worth noting that the Vatican's criticism of the event extended beyond its borders, as the Russian Orthodox Church also expressed disapproval.
