The Olympics opening ceremony at Paris was meandering along its merry way on the River Seine on Friday night when the global television audience was aghast at something that caught their attention.
Against the backdrop of the river was an unmissable recreation of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous ‘The Last Supper’. As the camera zoomed out to display the entire tableau, it became apparent that the enactment was performed by men in drag.
Outrage soon ensued on social media.
Calls of blasphemy
Viewers were appalled and took to social media to call out what they thought was blasphemy.
“This is blasphemy of the Last Supper, the First Catholic Mass and the Blessed Virgin Mary, sacrilegiously depicted here in a blue Baphomet Dress,” said a viewer.
This is blasphemy of the Last Supper, the First Catholic Mass, and the Blessed Virgin Mary, sacrilegiously depicted here in a blue Baphomet Dress.
I am calling on government and religious leaders worldwide to denounce this attack on the Catholic Faith.
Who will stand with us? pic.twitter.com/dAXKZueVnn
— Joseph D. McBride, Esq. (@McBrideLawNYC) July 26, 2024
Another viewer labelled the act plain ‘crazy’.
“This is crazy. Opening your event by replacing Jesus and the disciplines at The Last Supper with men in drag. There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate. Not Welcome”.
This is crazy. Opening your event by replacing Jesus and the disciples at the The Last Supper with men in drag. There are 2.4 billion Christians on earth and apparently the Olympics wanted to declare loudly to all of them, right out of the gate
NOT WELCOME pic.twitter.com/T88AmXbqXL
— Clint Russell (@LibertyLockPod) July 26, 2024
Others, meanwhile, were convinced that ‘satanic’ displays were in effect.
“The Paris Olympics have gone full blown satanic,” said a viewer.
The Paris Olympics have gone FULL BLOWN. SATANIC.
Going so far as to mock the Last Supper of Christ & have a celebration of worship to Baal/Moloch.
If this isn’t a sign of the times we are living in…
Spiritual warfare FULLY manifesting in the flesh.
This isn’t “satanic… pic.twitter.com/jodig46BcE
— The Patriot Voice (@TPV_John) July 26, 2024
Not the first time
The French have a history of employing satire as a medium of expression on matters pertaining to religion.
Very famously, the publication Charlie Hebdo published cartoons on the prophet Muhammad back in 2012. The move ignited global outrage which led to the nation having to close schools and embassies in over twenty countries.
In the aftermath of the unrest, employees of Charlie Hebdo were targeted in an attack that eventually led to the killing of 12 people.
In the opening ceremony, a woman was depicted wearing a halo crown in the center of a long table and surrounded by drag queens on either side. And in the final act of the scene, a man, seeming representing Dionysius, the god of wine, was served on a silver platter, in what was clearly an insinuating move.
In running the controversial tableau, the French have once again opted to toe the line in the name of amusement and entertainment. But with visible outrage, the organizers have plenty of damage-control and answering to do.