Paris Olympics organisers ‘really sorry’ if opening ceremony offended, but show chief denies Last Supper link
- The French Bishops’ Conference expresses deep regret over ‘scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply deplore’
Paris Olympics organisers have apologised and said they never intended to cause any offence with an opening ceremony that drew howls of outrage from some Christian groups.
Some Catholic groups and French bishops have condemned what they saw as a “mockery of Christianity” in the parade on Friday, choreographed by theatre director Thomas Jolly.
Criticism has focused on a scene involving dancers, drag queens and a DJ in poses that recalled depictions of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus is said to have taken with his apostles.
“Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group,” Paris 2024 spokeswoman Anne Descamps told reporters on Sunday.
“If people have taken any offence, we are of course really, really sorry,” she added.
But Jolly denied taking inspiration from the Last Supper in his nearly four-hour production, which took place in driving rain along the River Seine.