The organizers of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games have issued an apology for certain scenes in the opening ceremony that received criticism from Christian groups.
Artistic director Thomas Jolly explained that the aim was to promote religious tolerance and inclusivity, not to offend. He stressed that the scenes were intended to depict pagan gods and their activities, not to ridicule Christianity.
Jolly clarified that there was no intention to “mock or denigrate anyone,” and that the scenes were meant to reference pagan deities.
“Clearly, there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. On the contrary, I think Thomas Jolly did try to intend to celebrate community tolerance. We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offense, we, of course, are really sorry,” Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps stated.
Jolly further elaborated that the goal was to create a grand pagan celebration connected to the gods of Olympus, with the intent of uniting people and affirming the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
The controversy emerged following a sequence featuring drag artists, which some Christian groups felt was a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘The Last Supper.’
The Catholic Church in France criticized the ceremony, condemning it for including “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity.”