The Vatican said on Saturday it was saddened by a sketch during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics that appeared to parody Leonardo da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper."
Vatican issues strong response to Olympic controversy
“The Holy See was saddened by certain scenes during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris and cannot but join the voices raised in recent days to deplore the insult caused to many Christians and believers of other religions,” the organization said in an unusual press release issued in French over the weekend.
The July 26 ceremony featured scenes from the Bible of Jesus Christ and his apostles sharing a final meal before the crucifixion, but also featured transvestites, a transgender model and a naked singer portraying the Greek god of wine, Dionysus.
Two days later, the organizers of Paris 2024 apologized, saying it was never their intention to disrespect any religious group.
