The 2024 Olympics in Paris began with a loud bang. Unfortunately, it was a bang against Christianity! In the opulent and overblown opening ceremony, the centerpiece of the many performances was a mockery of our Lord’s Last Supper. It is a sad commentary on our culture that the supposed most creative minds in all of France who produced the spectacle would think mocking Christ’s Last Supper is an acceptable form of entertainment.
The Paris Olympic organizers have now apologized for the blasphemous scene, suggesting they meant no disrespect or offense to Christians. The ceremony’s artistic director, Thomas Jolly, has also now distanced his scene from any “Last Supper” parallels, saying it was meant to celebrate diversity and pay tribute to French gastronomy.
Both the apology and explanation are but feeble attempts to appease the outrage of the Christians who witnessed the vile sacrilege. The scene was meant to provoke and offend, and it did so. Making a mockery of the Last Supper is deeply offensive to Christians, and so it has been justly condemned by Christian leaders across the globe.
What mocking Christ’s Last Supper has to do with the Olympics defies understanding and has yet to be explained. The 2024 Olympic Committee’s stated goal is to contribute to building a “peaceful, better world” through sports without “discrimination of any kind” in a spirit of “friendship, solidarity, and fair play.”
This offensive attack upon the Christian Faith contained none of the spirit and philosophy of the Olympic Movement. It was discriminatory against Christians, displayed no sense of mutual understanding, and lacked any spirit of friendship, solidarity, and fair play for Christians.
In this age of “tolerance,” as corporations and institutions are commanded to live by the new code of diversity, equity, and inclusion, it is very apparent that Christians are not part of such a program. The last acceptable prejudice is anti-Christian bigotry. It is not merely acceptable, but it is highly fashionable in Paris and many other places.
Christians remain rightly offended by this irreverent parody of our Lord’s Last Supper. Empty apologies do not end their hurt and outrage. However, such outrage should lead Christians to a deeper reflection of the Lord’s Last Supper and renewed devotion to the Eucharist. Every Christian should take up prayer and fasting in reparation for such sinful blasphemy against God.
The opening ceremony ended on a hopeful note when Céline Dion sang Edith Piaf’s “Hymn to Love” from the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. The Olympic Committee, its many corporate sponsors, and the creators of this sacrilegious attack upon Christians might reflect upon the song’s last words: “God reunites those who love each other.”
Christians must pray and fast for a worldwide conversion of heart. May those who mock, ridicule, and hate learn to love and respect people of faith, including Christians. Then, perhaps God will reunite us in his love.
Father Bernard A. Healey is the director of the Rhode Island Catholic Conference.
