Mumbai Christian Groups Condemn 'Desecration' Of The Last Supper At Paris 2024 Olympics Opening Ceremony

Mumbai: Christian groups in Mumbai have condemned what they called the 'desecration of the sacred portrait of the Last Supper' during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

About The Last Supper Painting

The opening show featured a drag act with actors reenacting what looks like Leonardo da Vinci's famous painting of Jesus Christ's last meal with the apostles. The Last Supper is the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his 12 apostles before he was crucified. Leonardo da Vinci recreated the scene depicting the apostles’ reaction to Jesus’ announcement that he would be betrayed.

The opening ceremony of the games on July 26 included a show that looked like a re-creation of the famous painting, with drag characters depicting the scene. The performance has caused a fury among the religious orthodox across the world. There have been messages in the media, asking the organisers of the game to apologize. Believers have been asked to boycott the games in any way they can.

Letter Of The Watchdog Foundation To President Of IOC, Thomas Bach

Mumbai-based community group, the Watchdog Foundation, in a letter to Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, Switzerland, said that the Last Supper marks the institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion, through which Christians are symbolically united with Christ and receive his grace and forgiveness.

“We unequivocally condemn the recent desecration of the sacred portrait of The Last Supper during the Paris Olympics. This desecration is not merely an offence to an image but an affront to the values and beliefs of the largest religious community on earth,” the letter reads.

The letter asks the IOC to take this issue up with the host country, France.

“The blatant disregard for the sacred symbols of any religion cannot and should not be tolerated under any circumstances,” said the Watchdog Foundation.

The show attracted the anger of Christian conservatives, with some commentators saying that the organisers would never blaspheme any other religion on the world stage in this way.

Jenna Ellis, a lawyer and team member in Donald Trump's 2020 re-campaign attorney, told her million-plus followers on X, “In this scene from the Olympic opening ceremony, the famous painting of The Last Supper is recreated, but Jesus is replaced with an obese woman, while queer and trans figures (including a child!) depict her apostles.”

Melwyn Fernandes, secretary of the Association of Concerned Christians, has said that they had objections to the portrayal of the Last Supper at the games.