Olympic Games: Vatican 'saddened' by the opening ceremony | CPT PPP Coverage

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Following the initial cascading reactions from bishops and faithful, it took a week for the Vatican to address the matter. “The Holy See,” read a press release published August 3 “was saddened by certain scenes in the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games and can only join the voices raised in recent days to deplore the offense made to many Christians and believers of other religions.”

Particularly contentious was a scene during the ceremony where many Christians saw a distortion of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting, The Last Supper, depicting Jesus’ final meal with his disciples before his arrest and execution. On the bridge overlooking the Seine, DJ Barbara Butch appeared at the center of a podium, her head haloed, surrounded by drag queens.

The following day, the French episcopate reacted, lamenting scenes of “derision” and “mockery of Christianity.” Within the Catholic world—and far beyond—criticism and accusations of blasphemy emerged from all sides over several days. Calls for Masses of reparation were even heard.

“In a prestigious event where the whole world gathers around common values, there should be no allusions ridiculing the religious convictions of many people,” the Holy See continued, emphasizing that while “freedom of expression is not called into question,” it “finds its limit in respect for others.”

Reactions from conservative Bishops

The Vatican’s statement came a day after an open letter, with a much sharper tone, from around 20 bishops and cardinals, primarily from the United States and Africa. The signatories—including American Cardinals Raymond Burke and Wilfrid Fox Napier and Ethiopian Cardinal Berhaneyesus Demerew Souraphiel—stated that “with shock, the world watched as the Summer Olympics in Paris opened with a grotesque and blasphemous depiction of the Last Supper.”

The letter also urged the International Olympic Committee to “repudiate” and “apologize” for an “intentionally hateful mockery.” The prelates further committed to “a day of prayer and fasting in reparation for this blasphemy.” However, the ceremony’s organizers denied any intention to offend Christians and refuted any reference to the Last Supper.

Certain segments of the opening ceremony, especially those featuring homosexual individuals or drag queens, were condemned by several leaders in the Muslim world. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan himself stated that “human dignity was trampled upon” during the performance and that “religious and moral values were ridiculed, offending both Muslims and the Christian world.” He finally urged Pope Francis for a united religious opposition and to “raise his voice” against the alleged “moral decay” that characterized the opening ceremony.