The Vatican deplores “the offence caused to many Christians” at the Paris Olympics

Today Saturday, the Vatican expressed his sadness and regret over certain scenes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics performed on Friday, July 26, 2024.

“The Holy Seesaddened by some scenes from the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games, cannot but join the voices that have been raised in recent days to deplore the offence caused to many Christians and believers of other religions“, he said in a statement today, Saturday, August 3.

“At a prestigious event, where the entire world unites around common values, There should be no allusions that ridicule the religious convictions of many people.“, he declared.

“Freedom of expressionwhich is clearly not questioned, finds its limit in respect for others,” the Vatican concluded in its statement.

Festivity

Festivité activity on the opening night of the Olympic Games in Paris on Friday 26 July 2024

The Holy See referred to the controversial painting Festivity (Holiday, in Spanish) that dancers, LGBTQ icons and drag artists like Nicky Doll, Paloma y Barbara Butch performed on the opening night of the Olympic Games.

Dear American friends,
From what I’ve read you have an issue with yesterday’s #ceremoniedouverture.
Let’s make a deal.
You keep Taylor Swift, Bud light and country music. We keep Philippe Katerine, Barbara Butch, le burlesque, la folie et l’extravagance.
PS: we keep Gaga too. pic.twitter.com/W3rK0GmbyW

— Sophie 🎗️🧡 (@Mllesoss0) July 27, 2024

His critics considered him to be a “blasphemous” parody of the painting “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci.

But, interviewed by EuroNewsthe artistic director of the ceremony, Thomas Jollyhas repeatedly stated that he was not inspired by “The Last Supper”and that the sequence was “a great pagan festival linked to The Gods of Olympus“.

French bishops weigh in

According to EFE, French bishops and other members of the Catholic Church criticized Festivitywhich seemed like a recreation of The Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his apostles carried out by Leonardo da Vinci, In this case, they were replaced by drag queens, a trans model and the singer Philippe Katerine almost naked, with some attributes of Dionysusthe Greek god of wine and revelry.

The painting “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci

Even the president of Türkiye, the Islamist Recep Tayyip Erdoganinvited the Pope Francis to express a common position on this scene “and raise our voices together” against acts that, in their opinion, “ridicule moral and religious values ​​and trample on human honour under the guise of freedom of expression and tolerance”.

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