The opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympics stirred widespread controversy and outrage among Christian and Muslim leaders worldwide. Religious leaders denounced a scene featuring drag queens, which critics claimed depicted a parody of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” despite the art director saying otherwise, as a grave insult to Christian beliefs. The Coptic Orthodox Church, led by Pope Tawadros II, condemned the portrayal, describing it as a “serious insult to one of Christianity’s fundamental religious beliefs.” The Church called for a formal apology from the organizers and assurances that such “blasphemous depictions” would not be repeated in the future. In a similar vein, Al-Azhar, Egypt’s top Sunni Islamic institution, damned the scenes as a “barbaric, reckless manner” that disrespected the status of Jesus Christ and the prophets. The Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, also condemned the performance, stating that it showed a “complete lack of respect for the beliefs of religious people.” The Middle East Council of Churches and the Evangelical Community in Egypt also criticized the scenes, viewing them as mocking Christian beliefs. Was it really ‘the Last Supper’?…
Egypt’s Coptic Church, Azhar Condemn Paris Olympics Ceremony
July 29, 2024
By Belal Nawar
Senior Journalist
