They have accused the performance of ‘mocking’ the Last Supper, noting similarities between its imagery and Leonardo da Vinci’s famous fresco, The Last Supper.
A Bacchanalian scene (BBC)
This was likely due to a group of people standing on one side of a table—an arrangement unique to this situation and absent from any other context in human history or culture.
Traditionally, the Last Supper included 12 disciples and Jesus, but this version seems to feature four unexpected guests.
Marion Maréchal, a far-right French politician and practicing Catholic, took to Twitter to address the controversy surrounding the #Paris2024 ceremony. She stated, “To all Christians around the world who felt offended by the drag queen parody of the Last Supper, understand that this is not a reflection of France as a whole but rather a provocation from a left-wing minority.”
Some might argue that this stance seems at odds with France’s foundational principle of laïcité, which advocates for the separation of religion from public life and encourages politicians to keep their religious beliefs private.
Who are the extra disciples? (BBC)
Maréchal wasn’t the only one taken aback; US podcast host Clint Russell also voiced his shock on Twitter, saying: “This is unbelievable. Opening your event by swapping out Jesus and the disciples at the Last Supper for men in drag is just crazy.”
“There are 2.4 billion Christians around the world, and it seems the Olympics made a bold statement from the start, clearly signaling that they are not welcome.”
Others labeled the performance as ‘blasphemous’ and an ‘abomination.’
The ceremony wasn’t short of controversy, featuring other contentious moments, such as a portrayal of a ‘headless’ Marie Antoinette and a scene that hinted at a sexual encounter in France’s national library
