The Olympics has given contradictory statements if a scene in the opening ceremonies of the games was a depiction of Leonardo da Vinci’s “Last Supper.” The burlesque performance was an “interpretation of the Greek God [of wine and festivity] Dionysus” to make viewers “aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings,” the Olympics said on X. The organization later apologized if the performance offended viewers.
The director of the opening ceremony, Thomas Jolly, stated: “I did not intend to be subversive or to mock or shock … In France we can believe or not believe, in France we have a lot of rights and I wanted to convey those values throughout the ceremony.”
An uncropped image of the ceremony shows upwards of 50 people, not 12 disciples, behind a singer dressed as the Greek god Dionysus. Image: NBC video.
The scene is similar to both a painting of the last supper and a painting of a feast of the Greek god Dionysus. A photo circulating on social media, which has caused much of the uproar, was cropped to make it appear there were 12 “disciple” figures when there were actually at least 50 people behind Dionysus.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., was one of those speaking against the display.
“Last night’s mockery of the Last Supper was shocking and insulting to Christian people around the world who watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games,” he posted on X. “The war on our faith and traditional values knows no bounds today. But we know that truth and virtue will always prevail.”
Johnson went on to quote John 1:5: “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.”
The act featured 18 drag performers, that viewers said looked like the scene of the Last Supper, a depiction of Jesus Christ’s final meal with his disciples before his crucifixion painted for a wealthy patron by Leonardo Da Vinci.
The painting of the Last Supper itself, however, is not historically accurate nor are the details of the scene supported by scripture. In fact, Da Vinci actually contradicts scripture in his portrayal.
Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker called the visual “crazy” on Instagram and quoted Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked.”
Many on social media have criticized Christians for protesting the wrong thing. Instead of defending a painting that itself is a mockery of scripture, they should be commenting on the sexual nature of the opening ceremonies.
Still others felt compelled to defend the Last Supper painting.
European Parliament member Marion Maréchal said on X, “To all the Christians of the world who are watching the #Paris2024 ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France that is speaking but a leftwing minority ready for any provocation. #notinmyname.”
Swimmer Riley Gaines wrote in her own post on social media: “Men in wigs front & center at the Olympic Games. No one ever tell me this group is ‘oppressed’ or ‘marginalized’ again.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice