Christian churches join French bishops decrying alleged parody of Last Supper at Paris Olympics

Christian churches have expressed solidarity with the Church in France over a performance at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris that was seen as disrespectful to the Christian faith. 

One of these churches includes the United Christian Churches of Korea, the largest coalition of Protestant churches in Korea.

The Korean Protestant coalition was reported by The Korea Times on Monday to have said that the performance was an attempt to displace the Christian belief instead of a genuine effort to be inclusive. 

“The opening ceremony insulted the Olympic spirit by causing dispute through its attacks on many religions and ideologies different from its (show creators') own,” the group said. “The art director of the ceremony claimed that it was a performance supposed to promote an inclusive world. But it rather exposed today's vulgarism and precariousness, promoted by liberals in France, by violating the spirit of tolerance."

The Anadolu Ajansı reported on Sunday that The Middle East Council of Churches also denounced the performance of drag queens. 

“Freedom, diversity, and creativity are not compatible with insulting the beliefs of others, nor with mocking them, in ways that have nothing to do with human quality," the council of churches said. 

French parliament member Marion Maréchal, a Catholic, wrote on X, “To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a left-wing minority ready for any provocation.”

During the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games on Friday, a presentation that looked similar to Leonardo da Vinci's "The Last Supper" was made. The presentation included a large table at which men in women's clothes and makeup gathered around with a transgender.  

Some observers claimed the performance was evocative of the feast of Dionysus, not the Last Supper, also saying the Olympic Games has pagan roots originating in Greece. 

Dionysus in ancient Greek religion and myth was a god of wine-making, festivity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theater.

But the performance prompted protests among Christian communities across the world who saw it as a parody of the Last Supper. 

The French bishops issued a statement on July 27 decrying the performance.

World leaders also slammed the drag performance as a mockery of the Christian faith. 

"Last night’s mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games," House Speaker Mike Johnson," posted on X. "The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail." 

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini post wrote, "Opening the Olympics by insulting billions of Christians around the world was a really bad start, dear French."

Early on Sunday, the International Olympic Committee issued a formal apology after the presentation made headlines across the world caused. 

"Clearly there was never intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, we intended to show tolerance and community. If people have taken any offence then we are sorry,” spokesperson Anne Descamps told a press conference on Sunday. 

In an interview with BFM TV on Sunday, a French news broadcast television and radio network, Thomas Jolly, director of the Olympic Games opening ceremony, insisted the performance was not a parody of the Last Supper.