Vatican belatedly joins chorus of protests over Olympic Supper parody

ROME Belatedly joining the global chorus of outrage and condemnation, the Vatican responded Saturday to an apparent parody of the Last Supper at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics on July 26, saying it was saddened by the depiction.

Freedom of expression, the Vatican said, should not be questioned, but must be balanced with respect for others.

The brief 90-word statement was published in French.

The Holy See is saddened by certain scenes from the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games and cannot but join the voices that have been raised in recent days to deplore the offense done to many Christians and believers of other religions, he said.

At a prestigious event where the whole world comes together around common values, there should be no allusion that ridicules the religious beliefs of many people, the statement said.

Freedom of expression, which is obviously not called into question, finds its limits in respect for others, she believes.

The statement comes eight days after the opening ceremony sparked a wave of international reactions.

At one point during the event, a group of about 18 drag queens, including several famous Drag Race France personalities, posed behind what appeared to be a long table with the Seine and the Eiffel Tower in the background.

At the center was a woman in a low-cut dress and a large silver headdress, reminiscent of the halo behind Jesus' head in many artistic depictions of the Last Supper, indicating his divine status as the son of God. The woman formed a heart shape with her hands as the group stared at the camera before launching into a routine.

As the models took to the stage for an impromptu fashion show, the Last Supper figures swayed sideways, a little girl standing at their side. Later, a large serving tray was placed on the stage, the top of which was removed to reveal a scantily clad man painted from head to toe in blue, apparently evoking the Greek god Dionysus.

At one point, the genitals of a man wearing black shorts were exposed while a little girl stood in front of him, at what was supposed to be the table.

Some commentators have claimed that the performance evoked artistic representations of the Feast of Dionysus, rather than the Last Supper, in reference to the Greek roots of the Olympic Games. However, some artists themselves have stated in social media posts and in comments to French media that they did, in fact, intend to imitate the Last Supper.

The show's organizers were heavily criticized, with critics condemning not only the drag show's provocative nature and apparent mockery of Christianity, but also the presence of a child in the performance.

Catholic leaders around the world, including the French bishops' conference and two Vatican officials, have condemned the incident, and at least one of them, Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta and deputy secretary of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, has filed a formal complaint with the French ambassador to Malta, and encouraged others to do the same in their countries.

Prominent leaders of other religions, including Judaism and Islam, have also publicly condemned the scene, and some companies, including C Spire, have pulled their advertising from the Olympics.

Faced with protests from various religious groups and world leaders, representatives of the International Olympic Committee later apologized for the performance, saying: “There was clearly never any intention to disrespect any religious group.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoan telephoned Pope Francis on Thursday to call for a collective condemnation of what he called the ridicule of moral and religious values ​​at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, according to a statement from the president's office.

The Vatican has neither confirmed the call nor its content, nor has it denied it.

The Vatican's statement comes as Pope Francis has faced increasing criticism in recent days for his silence on the issue, while prominent leaders of other religions have issued public condemnations.