TIRANA, July 29, 2024 – Albanian media has been covering the controversy surrounding the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games for the reenactment of Leonardo da Vinci’s The Last Supper by drag queens, something condemned by both Chrisitans and Muslims.
“This ceremony unfortunately included scenes in which Christianity was mocked and ridiculed, which we deeply regret,” the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of France said in a statement. “We thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity with us.”
Among those voicing condemnation was the Doha International Center for Interfaith Dialogue, which expressed “its deepest shock and condemnation of the recent, highly offensive act that desecrated the sacred figure of Jesus Christ at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games.”
“Such a blatant disregard for the religious beliefs of millions around the world is not only disrespectful but also a direct attack on the principles of tolerance and mutual understanding that the Olympic Games are meant to embody,” the center said in a statement. “By allowing such a sacrilegious act to take place within the framework of these prestigious games, the organizers have betrayed the very spirit of the Olympic ideals.”
Jesus Christ is revered by billions of people worldwide as a symbol of love, compassion and unity. “To subject such a revered figure to public ridicule and disrespect is an affront not only to the entire Christian community but also all Muslim communities, and a grave insult to the values of religious freedom and pluralism,” the center said.
Olympic Games organizers have said they are “sorry” that scenes in Friday’s opening ceremony caused offense. The ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, said there was no intention to “mock or denigrate anyone” and explained the scene in question was designed “to be inclusive” and not as a reference to any biblical scenes, despite how it was perceived by the viewers.
