Vatican Criticizes Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony Skit

The Vatican expressed sadness over a skit at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, which seemed to parody Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper.' The controversial segment featured drag queens, a transgender model, and a naked singer. Paris 2024 organizers later issued an apology, stating there was no intent to disrespect any religious group.

On Saturday, the Vatican expressed its sadness over a skit at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony, which appeared to parody Leonardo da Vinci's 'The Last Supper' painting.

'The Holy See was saddened by certain scenes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games and cannot but join the voices raised in recent days to deplore the offence done to many Christians and believers of other religions,' it stated in an unusual weekend evening press release issued in French.

The controversial segment, part of the July 26 ceremony, depicted a scene that resembled the Last Supper but featured drag queens, a transgender model, and a naked singer as the Greek god Dionysus. Organizers of Paris 2024 later apologized, clarifying that there was no intent to disrespect religious groups. The segment, they explained, had been inspired by a pagan feast linked to the historical Olympics, not the Christian Last Supper.

'In a prestigious event where the whole world comes together around common values, there should not be allusions ridiculing the religious convictions of many people,' the Vatican added. 'Freedom of expression, which is obviously not called into question, finds its limit in respect for others.'

The statement was issued more than a week after the event, with the Vatican later confirming that Pope Francis had discussed the Paris event in a phone call with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on August 1. However, they would not elaborate on the conversation's specifics.

(With inputs from agencies.)