The opening ceremony for the Olympic Games in Paris on Friday has sparked global public outrage over a show filled with apparent parodies of Christian religious symbols.
Netizens argued that several parts of the ceremony mocked universally recognizable works of art associated with Christianity. One such performance featured transgender performers appearing to re-enact ‘The Last Supper’, the renowned painting of Christ and his apostles by Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci. Users on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram alike lambasted the performance as “disgusting” and “outright blasphemy.”
Many public figures were among those criticizing the display, including Tesla and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who said that it was “extremely disrespectful to Christians.”
The repeated presence of transgender individuals and drag queens at the ceremony appalled many users. For instance, three drag queens were among the torchbearers who carried the Olympic flame as it made its way to Paris. Some netizens accused the organizers of catering to wokeism and argued that the Olympics should not be turned into a pride parade or a drag show.
Another episode that was seen as mocking of Christianity was a rider on a pale horse parading along the river Seine. This was seen as a reference to one of the four horsemen of the apocalypse – the one representing Death – in the biblical Book of Revelation. The use of such a symbol was perceived by some as “straight satanic” and suggesting that it was being made clear that “Christian viewers aren’t welcome.”
Several videos posted online featured a compilation of performances from the Paris opening ceremony juxtaposed with some from years past. Friday’s event was compared unfavorably with the spectacular 2008 Olympics in Beijing, which featured 2,008 drummers performing the same beat, and the 2014 Olympics in Russia, which included a ballet tribute to Leo Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’. Social media users claimed en masse that Paris had failed to live up to the standards of previous opening ceremonies.
“Easily one of the worst Olympic opening ceremonies in recent history… Paris sh*t show,” one user wrote.
“This will ultimately be an unforgettable opening ceremony for the Olympics forever, a memory we so wish we could ultimately forget,” another echoed.
Addressing organizers after the ceremony, French President Emmanuel Macron appeared to ignore the criticism it evoked, praising their work and saying he was “proud” they “made France shine.” He posted a similar message on his official X account, but it has since received several thousand comments from users asking, “What is there to be proud of?”