PARIS. Public figures, the Catholic Church and a Christian company are strong Criticism of the opening of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris expressed. The sports bishop of the German Bishops’ Conference, Stefan Oster, criticized X: “An impressive opening to hopefully peaceful games. The strange Last Supper, however, was a low point and completely unnecessary in the production.”
During the four-hour ceremony, so-called drag queens – heavily made-up men in women’s clothing – appeared to represent Jesus’ Last Supper. Jesus was played by a corpulent drag queen. In addition, one of the actor’s private parts fell out of his tight costume during the worldwide live broadcast.
You’re out and about at night and miss the opening ceremony of the Olympics and the next day you see this kind of nonsense online. @ronalyse writes aptly:
“The run-up to and opening of the Olympic Games in Paris provide iconic images for the current zeitgeist. A… pic.twitter.com/rMl15iDFpH
— Anabel Schunke (@ainyrockstar) July 27, 2024
French bishops: “mockery of Christianity”
The French Bishops’ Conference found the words particularly harsh. “Unfortunately, during this ceremony there were scenes of mockery and ridicule of Christianity,” wrote the French clergy. They also thanked the expressions of solidarity from other religious communities around the world.
#Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/5Sdf20e1P3
— Dieter Stein (@Dieter_Stein) July 27, 2024
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has spoken of the “removal” of “metaphysical ties to God, country and family” in the West, which has led to “a lack of public morality, as you could see if you watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games yesterday.”
A word or two more about that #Olympics Opening ceremony. pic.twitter.com/mtosQClPI8
— Orbán Viktor (@PM_ViktorOrban) July 28, 2024
Company withdraws Olympic Games advertising
The American telecommunications company C Spire then announced that it would stop advertising at the Olympic Games with immediate effect. “We were shocked by the mockery of the evening meal during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris. C Spire will withdraw its advertising for the Olympic Games,” the company wrote on X.
Tennis legend Boris Becker also noted in an interview with broadcaster Eurosport that the opening was “too awake” for him.
Boris Becker on the opening ceremony. pic.twitter.com/qjeyhOJrVG
— Marcel🎸 (@ElliotStabler92) July 27, 2024
Meanwhile, a summary of highlights from the opening ceremony has reportedly disappeared from Olympia’s YouTube channel. Related screenshots of a deleted video have been circulating on X since Saturday. What’s more, the related video is nowhere to be found. The entire ceremony can still be seen on the German-language channel Eurosport. (sv)