A satirical depiction of the Last Supper, presented by a group of transgender women during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics, has sparked a wave of outrage and condemnation. The ceremony also featured other controversial moments, such as a beheaded portrayal of Marie Antoinette and a scene suggesting a sexual encounter in the Bibliothèque nationale de France.
In a statement released on Saturday, the French Bishops' Conference criticized "the images mocking and ridiculing Christianity, which we strongly condemn." The French bishops expressed gratitude to members of other religious communities who conveyed their solidarity, stating, "This morning, we think of all Christians on all continents who are hurt by the anger and provocation from certain scenes."
Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, quickly shared his reaction, saying, "My vocabulary isn’t diverse enough to find a word for how I feel in the pit of my stomach," asserting that followers of the Christian faith "deserve more respect."
A report by CNN echoed Flores' sentiments from non-Christians as well. Dr. Eli David expressed, "Even as a Jew, I feel anger at this outrageous insult to Jesus of Christianity," describing the opening ceremony as reflecting "a Europe that is culturally dying."
The world’s richest man, Elon Musk, also denounced the performance as "extremely disrespectful to Christians."
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio, a Catholic, responded to what he called the "strange Olympic show" by quoting Jude 1:18, "In the last times there will be mockers living according to their own ungodly desires." Meanwhile, Texas-based journalist Kyle Becker wrote on social media platform X that "the Paris 2024 Olympics has become dystopian," indicating that the opening ceremony was filled with transgender ridicule of the Last Supper and other biblical references, making it clear that Christian viewers are unwelcome.
Prominent American figures and political commentators condemned the act, claiming it disrespects Christianity and sends an exclusionary message to 2.4 billion Christians worldwide. American radio broadcaster Clint Russell stated, "Opening your event by replacing Jesus and the disciples with men in women's clothing is unacceptable." Tom Fitton, president of the non-governmental organization Judicial Watch, asserted, "The transnational left despises Western civilization."
In their defense, the organizers of the Paris Olympics claimed that the performance aimed to humorously highlight the absurdity of human violence. Nevertheless, violent reactions continued, with some commentators expressing concerns about the broader implications of mocking religious traditions in a public forum like the Olympics. Conservative French politician and Member of the European Parliament Marion Maréchal warned international viewers that the polarizing performance does not represent the entire French populace. She wrote: "To all Christians in the world who are watching the Paris 2024 ceremony and felt offended by the satire of the Last Supper, know that it is not France speaking but a leftist minority ready for any provocation."
