Paris 2024 organizers apologized Sunday to Catholics and other Christian groups angered by a kitsch tableau in the Olympic Games opening ceremony that depicted Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous “The Last Supper” painting.
The segment, which recreated the biblical scene of Jesus Christ and his apostles sharing a last meal before crucifixion, featured drag queens, a transgender model and a naked singer made up as the Greek god of wine Dionysus.
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance,” Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps said at a news conference. “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense, we are really sorry.”
The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings. #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/FBlQNNUmvV
Artistic director Thomas Jolly tried to draw attention away from “The Last Supper” references after the opening ceremony, saying that hadn’t been his intention.
“We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together. We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that,” Jolly told reporters Saturday.
The Catholic church in France was among those criticizing the segment, calling it “mockery of Christianity.”
Supporters of the tableau praised its message of inclusivity and tolerance.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.