The 2024 Paris Olympics opening ceremony left many enraged as it featured a drag queen-led parody of the Last Supper. High-profile religious figures across the US were swift to denounce the spectacle. Bishop Robert Barron of Minnesota called the act a “gross mockery” and encouraged Catholics to express their discontent. He perceived the parody as a symbol of a “deeply secularist postmodern society” that identifies Christianity as its adversary.
Bishop Donald Hying of Madison, Wisconsin, proposed a spiritual response, encouraging Catholics to intensify their devotion to the Eucharist, the Sacred Heart, and the Virgin Mary. He reiterated the need for Jesus to be “adored and loved in every tabernacle throughout the world.”
Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas, voiced his revulsion, criticising the lack of respect shown to Christianity. Non-Christian leaders, including Jewish Dr. Eli David, also denounced that the event demonstrated a disregard for Christianity and described it as a testament to Europe’s cultural regression.
Billionaire Elon Musk also critiqued the performance, labelling it as highly disrespectful towards Christians. US Senator, and Catholic, Marco Rubio responded by referring to a biblical verse and labelled the Olympic ceremony as a “freak show.”