The French Bishops’ Conference has expressed its discontent over what it describes as “scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity” during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games.
The ceremony, which has garnered mixed reactions, particularly upset some conservative groups.
Moments of Beauty Overshadowed
In a statement issued on Saturday, the French Bishops’ Conference acknowledged the ceremony’s moments of beauty and joy but lamented certain provocative scenes.
“The opening had offered wonderful moments of beauty, joy, rich emotions, and was universally praised,” the statement read. “However, this ceremony unfortunately included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity, which we deeply regret.”
Controversial Segment
While the bishops did not specify the scenes in question, it is believed that their discontent stems from a segment titled “Festivity,” which featured a group at a table reminiscent of the Last Supper.
The group included several drag queens and was set to music by lesbian activist DJ Barbara Butch.
The bishops emphasized their concern for Christians worldwide who might have been hurt by these “excesses and provocations.”
Reactions from Conservatives
The ceremony has also sparked outrage among conservative and far-right politicians in France.
They criticized the event for featuring LGBT+ performers and a racially diverse cast, labeling it as a “woke” parade.
Marion Marechal, a far-right politician, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express her dismay, stating, “To all Christians worldwide who watched the opening ceremony and felt insulted by this drag queen parody of the Last Supper, know that it is not France speaking, but a leftist minority prepared for any provocation.”
International Criticism
The backlash extended beyond France, with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban condemning the ceremony.
He described it as a sign of the “weakness and disintegration of the Western world.”
Orban added, “Western values were considered for a long time as universal but are seen as increasingly unacceptable and rejected by many countries in the world.”
Defense of the Ceremony
In defense of the ceremony, artistic director Thomas Jolly, who is openly gay, stated that his intention was not to be subversive or shocking.
Speaking at a press conference, Jolly said, “Last night it was about our Republican values of benevolence and inclusion.
In France, you have the right to love as you like, who you like. In France, you can believe (in religion) or not believe. In France, we have lots of rights.”
Mixed Reviews
The opening ceremony, which featured a mix of ballet, opera, hard-rock, and a parade of athletes on the River Seine, received mixed reviews.
While the French media broadly hailed the quirky and high-kitsch event, international critics were less enthusiastic.
The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar pointed out “thoroughly weird curatorial decisions,” while The New York Times’ Mike Hale described the ceremony as “bloated” and “quintessentially French: titillating, hermetic, light on humor and heavy on pretense.”
Spectator Experience
Despite the rain, around 100,000 spectators watched from stands on the riverbanks, often paying hundreds or even thousands of euros for tickets.
While many were thrilled by the event, others complained about limited visibility and lengthy waits between performances.
Approximately 200,000 people with free tickets to stand along the banks also faced poor visibility, leading many to leave early.
Official Praise
Paris Olympic organizers and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) praised Jolly’s work. “Every edition (of the Olympics) brings a stone to the edifice,” said Christophe Dubi, Olympic Games executive director at the IOC.
“This has brought a mountain, it’s not a small stone.” Chief Paris Games organizer Tony Estanguet hailed the ceremony as “a unique moment” and commended the security forces for maintaining order, with no security incidents reported among the 45,000 police officers, 10,000 soldiers, and 22,000 private security guards on duty.
