PARIS– PARIS (AP) — Paris Olympics Organizers apologized on Sunday to anyone who was offended by a painting that evoked Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” during the glamorous opening ceremony.
Da Vinci’s painting depicts the moment Jesus Christ declared that an apostle would betray him. O scene during Friday ceremony featured DJ and producer Barbara Butch – an LGBTQ+ icon – flanked by drag artists and dancers.
Religious conservatives around the world criticized the segment, with the French Catholic Church’s conference of bishops deploring “scenes of mockery” that they said mocked Christianity – a sentiment echoed by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. The Anglican Communion in Egypt expressed its “deep regret” on Sunday, saying the ceremony could cause the IOC to “lose its distinctive sporting identity and humanitarian message”.
The artistic director of the ceremony Joyful Thomas said the objective was to celebrate diversity and pay homage to French celebration and gastronomy. Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps was asked about the protest during an International Olympic Committee press conference on Sunday.
“It is clear that there was never any intention to show disrespect towards any religious group. On the contrary, I think (with) Thomas Jolly, we really tried to celebrate community tolerance,” said Descamps. “Looking at the results of the surveys we shared, we believe that this ambition has been achieved. If people were offended, of course we are very, very sorry.”
Jolly explained his intentions to the Associated Press after the ceremony.
“My desire is not to be subversive, nor to mock or shock,” Jolly said. “Above all, I wanted to send a message of love, a message of inclusion rather than division.”
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Associated Press journalist Samy Magdy contributed reporting from Cairo.
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