Olympics’ mockery of Last Supper condemned around the world

By Catherine Sheehan

Catholic leaders and Christians around the world have condemned the mocking depiction of Christ’s Last Supper at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris which involved scantily clad people and ‘drag queens’.

The parody of Leonardo Da Vinci’s famous painting of ‘The Last Supper’ was viewed by millions as the opening ceremony was televised on 26 July.

It featured a ‘lesbian activist’ known as Barbara Butch who played the ‘Christ figure’ at the centre of the act, wearing a headdress resembling a halo, and flanked by provocatively dressed people, including ‘drag queens’, arranged in a similar fashion to the apostles in the famous painting by Da Vinci.

Following the event Barbara Butch posted on her Instagram account a photo of the spoof of the Last Supper alongside an image of Da Vinci’s painting with the caption: “Oh yes! Oh yes! The new gay testament!”  The post was deleted after there was outcry from Christians around the world in the days following the opening ceremony.

The French Bishops Conference published a statement on 27 July referring to “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply deplore”.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a statement apologising for any offence and claiming the act had not been intended as a mockery of Christ’s Last Supper.

However, Archbishop Julian Porteous said it was right that there had been public outcry in response to the display.

“The decision to parody the Last Supper in a sexualised and pagan manner has demeaned the spirit of the Olympics,” Archbishop Julian said.

“The celebration of the Mass is the most sacred action of the Church. Its inspiration is the action of the Lord at the Last Supper and his words, ‘do this in memory of me’.

“For Catholics the Mass is the means by which we are brought into a ‘holy communion’ with our risen Lord. To have the Last Supper held up for mockery in the most blasphemous of ways in the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is highly offensive not only to Catholics but to all Christians.”

Bishop Robert Barron of the Diocese of Winona–Rochester in the US described the depiction as a “gross mockery” of what was a “very central moment in Christianity where Jesus at his Last Supper gives his body and blood in anticipation of the cross”.

“Would they ever have dared mock Islam in a similar way?” Bishop Barron asked.

“This deeply secularist, post-modern society, knows who its enemy is, they’re naming it, and we should believe them… but furthermore, we Christians, we Catholics, should not be sheepish, we should resist, we should make our voices heard.”

Bishop Barron described the IOC’s apology as “a masterpiece of woke duplicity”.

“So we have a group of drag queens cavorting in a kind of sexually provocative way, clearly in imitation of Da Vinci’s Last Supper, which presents to the world the Last Supper of Jesus, and no disrespect was meant?

“Christians were offended because it was offensive and it was intended to be offensive.”

The Holy See released a statement on 4 August saying it was “saddened” by “certain scenes” during the opening ceremony and that it could only “deplore the offence caused to many Christians and believers of other religions.”

“At a prestigious event where the whole world comes together to share common values, there should be no allusions ridiculing the religious convictions of many people,” the statement read.

“The freedom of expression, which is clearly not called into question here, is limited by respect for others.”