Paris Olympics sparks outrage over 'Last Supper' performance
An element of the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, the colorful artistic performance on the Seine, has sparked waves of comments. The organizers have been accused of offending religious sentiments. The International Olympic Committee decided to break the silence and apologize.
9:13 AM EDT, July 28, 2024
On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee addressed the controversial and emotional segment of the show that inaugurated the Olympic sports competition. Representatives of the organization assured that they did not intend to disrespect any religious group.
The discussion around this event has been ongoing since Friday night. Many viewers, watching the opening ceremony live or on screens at home, did not associate the scene with Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper."
The IOC responds to the voices of outrage. A brief statement
However, the reference was noticed by bishops in France. They reacted immediately, even though they rarely speak on social issues. The Episcopal Conference appealed to all viewers and participants to remember that "the Olympic celebration goes far beyond the ideological biases of a few artists."
Then, a scandal erupted. Numerous comments were made online. Particularly outraged are Catholics. Politicians, athletes, and activists have spoken on the matter.
Priests condemned this attack on Christian values during many masses. Believers saw "a gender parody of the Last Supper" in the criticized scene.
The International Olympic Committee decided to respond to these angry comments. Adam Parsons, the "Sky News" correspondent in Europe, conveyed a statement. He wrote that the IOC apologized and explained that its goal was to show tolerance and community.
"IOC on complaints about 'The Last Supper' reference in Opening Ceremony: 'Clearly there was never intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, we intended to show tolerance and community. If people have taken any offense, then we are sorry,'" the correspondent quoted the IOC statement.
