July 28th 2024.
The opening ceremony for the Paris 2024 Olympics caused quite a stir, with one particular aspect raising some eyebrows. The organisers have since offered their apologies to the Catholic and Christian communities who were offended by certain elements of the ceremony. Held along the River Seine, the opening ceremony was a wet and eventful affair, officially declaring the 33rd Olympic Games open on Friday night.
Under the guidance of Artistic Director Thomas Jolly, the ceremony featured performances by renowned artists such as Celine Dion and Lady Gaga. The highlight, however, was the parade of hundreds of athletes on boats along the river. While some spectators were not completely impressed with the scenes in the French capital, stating that it paled in comparison to the grandeur of the London 2012 opening ceremony, others found certain aspects of the ceremony to be quite controversial.
One scene in particular received intense criticism, where a diverse group of individuals were depicted in a recreation of Leonardo da Vinci's famous Last Supper painting. This lineup included several drag artists, which did not sit well with some religious figures. Elon Musk even took to social media to express his disapproval, stating that the scene was "extremely disrespectful to Christians". The Catholic Church in France also condemned the depiction, with the Conference of French bishops releasing a statement expressing their disappointment, saying, "This ceremony included scenes that mocked and ridiculed Christianity, which we deeply deplore."
The controversy surrounding the opening ceremony did not go unnoticed by US Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, who described the portrayal as a "gross mockery" of The Last Supper. He expressed his love for the Olympics, but was taken aback when he saw the scene in question, which he did not want to describe any further. "France, a city I love, a place where I spent three years as a doctoral student, is now the host of this gross mockery," he said. "It's evident that they were trying to showcase their culture, but instead, they chose to mock this significant moment in Christianity where Jesus gives his body and blood in anticipation of the cross."
In response to the backlash, Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps issued a statement, stating that they never intended to show disrespect to any religious group. She defended the overall ceremony, stating that their goal was to celebrate community tolerance, and they believed they had achieved that. However, they were apologetic if anyone was offended by the ceremony. Artistic Director Jolly also chimed in, stating that his intention was not to be subversive or shocking, but rather to include everyone and celebrate diversity.
The criticism also extended beyond France, with Germany's Bishop of Passau, Stefan Oster, calling the opening ceremony an impressive start to what he hopes will be a peaceful Olympics. However, he also expressed disappointment in the portrayal of the Last Supper, calling it a "low point" and unnecessary in the context of the ceremony. Despite the controversy, the Paris Games officially began after the eventful opening ceremony, and it remains to be seen how the rest of the games will unfold.
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