Responses from the French public regarding the controversial Olympic Games opening ceremonies in Paris on Friday have varied, with many expressing negative sentiments.
The opening ceremonies featured a boat parade along the River Seine, showcasing performances from international artists, including Céline Dion, along with Olympic athletes representing their respective countries.
The event included a live interpretation of the Last Supper with drag queens and a ménage à trois sequence, despite the original artwork, painted by Leonardo da Vinci, being located in Italy at the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
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The French Bishops’ Conference expressed their disappointment via X, stating, “this ceremony unfortunately included scenes that mocked and ridiculed Christianity, which we regret deeply. We extend our gratitude to other religious groups for their solidarity.”
“Today, we are reflecting on all Christians around the world who have felt wounded by the provocations presented in certain scenes,” they added.
In defense of the opening ceremonies, French President Emmanuel Macron took to X, thanking Thomas Jolly for his creative vision and praising the artists who contributed to this extraordinary moment. He added thanks to police, emergency services, and volunteers.
Macron remarked, “Gratitude to everyone who believed in this. We’ll revisit this in 100 years! WE DID IT!”
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Thomas Jolly, a 42-year-old French actor and theater director from Rouen, was appointed two years ago to lead the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paris Olympic Games.
However, not all French citizens appreciated the ceremonies equally.
Tony Estanguet, President of Paris 2024, French President Emmanuel Macron, and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee during the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024 in Paris, France.
(Christian Liewig – Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)
An X user from France, @JulietteBriens, expressed her feelings, stating, “As a genuinely patriotic French girl, I distance myself from this circus and apologize to the world.”
Her post included screenshots of the most controversial scenes from the ceremonies, including a close-up of the ménage à trois performance.
Another X user, @Arwenstar, shared, “As a French woman, I am mortified by this #OpeningCeremony and wish to apologize to the world for this disgraceful farce. Please don’t hold us responsible; it’s the woke metropolitan elite who ruin everything.”
Florent Manaudou, the Flagbearer for Team France, waves his flag during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 on July 26, 2024, in Paris, France.
(VCG via Getty Images)
A viral video on social media captures a French family’s reaction to the reenactment of the Last Supper, captioned, “POV: You’re watching the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games and you realize it’s the last season of the Smurfs.”
In the video, a family member exclaims, “No no no no no, what is that?!”
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As reported by Variety, approximately 28.6 million Americans watched the opening ceremonies of the Paris Olympic Games.
