The opening ceremony for the 2024 Paris Olympics has come under heavy fire after one act “insulted” viewers the world over, with a recreation of Leonardo da Vinci’s mural of Jesus and his twelve disciples. Courtesy photo.
The 2024 Paris Olympics kicked off Friday with the procession of athletes, the lighting of the Olympic torch — and an apparent replication of “The Last Supper” performed by drag queens.
Organizers were accused of ridiculing Christianity by featuring more than a dozen drag entertainers posing for a scene reminiscent of the Leonardo da Vinci masterpiece showing Jesus and his disciples sharing their last Passover meal before his betrayal, trial and crucifixion on the cross.
“Drag queens mock Christianity during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympics in Paris as they attempt to recreate da Vinci’s painting of Jesus’ Last Supper,” said Shane Pruitt, a Texas pastor and author, on X. “Not only are Christians the only people that it is socially acceptable to mock … it’s actually celebrated and put front and center.”
Elon Musk, owner of X, said: “This was extremely disrespectful to Christians.”
The tableau showed a woman at the center of a long counter or table wearing a halo crown and holding her hands in a heart shape. She was flanked by drag queens, or men in exaggerated female costumes, as well as one child.
The scene culminated with a man representing Dionysius being served on a silver platter.
“The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings,” said the Paris Olympics on X.
Rep. August Pfluger, Texas Republican, said on X that the “Olympics are supposed to be a time of mutual respect and a reason to come together from around the world.”
“It is unacceptable that the opening ceremony mocked Christianity and the Last Supper and included a child in a drag queen performance,” he said.
Others offended by the performance included Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, a devout Catholic, who posted a video clip of the scene and quoted from Galatians 6:7-8, which begins, “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.”
“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,” wrote one Clint Russel on X.
