Vatican says saddened by Paris Olympics opening ceremony
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The Holy See expresses regret over the insult to Christianity dealt at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony.
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IOC President Thomas Bach speaks as Tony Estanguet, president of 2024 Paris Olympics looks on in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
The Vatican has voiced Saturday its disappointment with several scenes from the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, deeming them offensive to many Christians and representatives of other religions.
"The Holy See was saddened by certain scenes at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris and can only join the voices that have been heard in recent days to express regret for the insult inflicted on many Christians and believers of other religions," the statement said.
"At a prestigious event where the whole world unites around common values, there should be no hints ridiculing the religious beliefs of many people," the statement read.
The Vatican emphasized that while freedom of expression is undeniable, it should be balanced with respect for others' beliefs.
The controversy stems from the Olympics opening ceremony held on July 26, which included a drag parody of Leonardo da Vinci's iconic mural, "The Last Supper."
The performance, which depicted the scene of Jesus with the Twelve Apostles, sparked a global outcry on social media, with many finding it disrespectful to religious sentiments.
French episcopate condemn Olympics opening
The French episcopate described the event that mimicked Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" during the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in Paris as "outrageous."
"We would like to thank the representatives of other religious denominations who expressed their solidarity with us," the Office of the French bishops said, according to a statement published by Le Figaro.
"This morning, our thoughts are with all Christians on all continents who have suffered from the outrageous and provocative scenes," the statement stressed.
"We hope they understand that the Olympic celebration goes far beyond the ideological preferences of a few artists," it added.
The French bishops were keen to point out that the ceremony had, however, offered "moments of beauty" and "joy."
The opening ceremony "included scenes that mock and ridicule Christianity," which were "outrageous and provocative," the French episcopate said.
Meanwhile, the chief of the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee, Tony Estanguet, said that the organizers had sought for the ceremony to reflect French values and principles.
