Name: Olympics opening ceremony 'Last Supper' parody sparks anger among Catholics, conservatives
Uploaded: 2024-07-29T02:58:28.000Z
Duration: 3 min 25 s
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Well, most significantly, we've heard from the deputy prime minister himself, the leader of the right wing anti-immigrant party, the League Party, Matteo Salvini.

He took to social media on Saturday, saying that opening the Olympics, insulting millions of Christians in the world is really a bad start.

Now, he posted this message together with two photos, one showing the apparent drag queen led parody of The Last Supper, which was seen in one of the scenes during that Olympic opening ceremony.

And he contrasted that with the actual image of the painting of The Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci, one of the most famous paintings in the world that is located in Milan here in Italy.

So clearly feeling that that somehow insulted the feelings of Christians around the world.

We also heard from other members of Italy's far right Brothers of Italy Party.

That's the party of Prime Minister Giorgio Maloney.

Some of the lawmakers, one of them saying, ironically, it felt more like gay pride.

It wasn't really the opening of the Olympics.

Another senator saying essentially that this ceremony brought shame and embarrassment to France and to Europe.

And they also reacted to the fact that Italy's president, Sergio Mattarella, was seen wearing a raincoat, looking rather disheveled when he waved to the Italian Olympic team.

In sharp contrast, they say to President Macron, who was under shelter.

But it's clear that the parties of these leaders have in the past contrasted with the French president.

But clearly, they didn't like that sentiment of what they felt was an insult to Christians around the world, particularly that scene of The Last Supper.

So the French Catholic Church has come out and criticised that Last Supper parody, which was performed by by drag queens, as you said.

Have there been other reactions from the Catholic world specifically?

Well, we haven't heard specifically from the Vatican, but we have heard now from those French bishops, as you mentioned.

I mean, they started off talking about how there were moments of beauty and joy during the ceremony, but they deeply regretted what they said was scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.

They said Christians could be hurt by these excesses and provocation of certain scenes.

Now, they didn't actually mention that specific scene, but one can assume perhaps that that was what they were referring to.

We've also heard from across the pond, conservative Catholics in the US, particularly Bishop Robert Barron, who has a very strong presence online and on social media.

He actually posted a video saying that it was a gross a gross mockery of The Last Supper.

It was blasphemous and emblematic of a deeply secular postmodern society, saying that it identifies Christianity as the enemy in such a representation.

But of course, those are what some Catholic leaders have to say.

Others, though, perhaps maybe enjoyed the ceremony, maybe found some portions a little bit hard to understand.

 But now, I guess, all concentration on the games itself.