On July 28th, pro-Kremlin media outlet Alt-Info, along with pro-government media outlets Imedi, POSTV, Publicist.ge (1;2;3), Resonance, For.ge (1;2), Spnews (1;2;3), and Newshub (1;2;3), published information claiming that the organizers of the Paris Olympics apologized for imitating the “Last Supper.”
These articles were actively disseminated in Facebook groups (1;2) and by individual Facebook accounts (1;2;3;4;5;6).
Notably, following the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, numerous posts appeared on social media connecting one of the scenes to the “Last Supper” – Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco depicting the final meal of Christ and his 12 apostles. media covered (1;2;3;4) director Goga Khindrava’s statement on Twitter (now X), where he called the scene a “gathering of evil spirits” and a “satanic ball.” Facebook user Koba Kuprashvili, who frequently spreads fake or manipulative stories on various topics, linked the same scene to Freemasons and Lucifer, while lawyer Irakli Zakareishvili called it a mockery of the “Last Supper.”
Additionally, the media circulated a video by a Georgian priest, in which he claimed that the “Last Supper” was mocked at the Olympics in Paris (1;2;3).
The information disseminated by the media outlets that the Olympic organizers apologized for mocking the “Last Supper” is misleading. The phrasing creates the impression that they confirmed the allegations of a connection to the “Last Supper.” In reality, the representatives apologized to those who found the scene offensive. The organizers deny that the scene depicted the “Last Supper” and claim their inspiration came from Greek mythology, specifically Dionysus and other gods.
Articles about the Apology are misleading
Some articles, claiming that the organizers apologized for imitating the “Last Supper,” cite Reuters, while others do not specify a source. In fact, Reuters does not state that the representatives apologized for the imitation. The first paragraph of the article reads that “the organizers apologized on Sunday to Catholics and other Christian groups angered by a kitsch tableau in the Olympic Games opening ceremony that appeared to parody Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper” painting. Consequently, the representatives apologized to those who found the scene offensive.” The headlines in the Georgian media create the impression that the organizers confirmed the allegations of a connection between the “Last Supper” and the scene from the opening ceremony, which is not true.
In the articles, only the quote from Olympic spokesperson Anne Descamps is translated into Georgian, in which she says they never intended to disrespect any religious group and aimed to emphasize tolerance: “We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry.” Reuters’ article includes a quote from the artistic director of the opening ceremony, Thomas Jolly, explaining that his inspiration was not the “Last Supper” but a celebration related to the gods of Olympus. However, the media did not translate this part of the article, making the text misleading by suggesting that the apology confirmed the connection to the “Last Supper.”
The Last Supper or Greek Mythology – What Does the Scene Depict?
One of the scenes from the Olympic opening ceremony depicted a woman, LGBTQ+ activist Barbara Butch, standing in the center of a long table, with dancers, including drag queens, standing on her right and left. On the table, decorated with flowers and fruit, lay singer Philippe Katerine, painted blue. Some viewers interpreted the scene as a parody of the “Last Supper,” claiming that the participants stood similarly to Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco depicting the last meal of Christ and his 12 apostles. The scene sparked discussions not only in Georgian media but also in foreign media. The French Episcopal Conference called it a “mockery of Christianity,” a sentiment echoed by Catholic leaders.
A photo from the opening ceremony was also published on the official X account of the Olympic Games. The description, which did not mention the “Last Supper,” reads: “The interpretation of the Greek God Dionysus makes us aware of the absurdity of violence between human beings.” Consequently, the man covered in blue paint represented Dionysus, the ancient Greek god of viticulture, agriculture, and winemaking.
The Olympic organizers have repeatedly denied the claims that the scene was related to the “Last Supper.” Despite public perception, the main artistic director, Thomas Jolly, explained to The Associated Press that his intention was not to imitate the “Last Supper,” but rather to depict a celebration of diversity, with the table being related to French gastronomy.
Jolly also denied any connection to da Vinci’s fresco in an interview with French media BFMTV:
“This is not my inspiration [the Last Supper]. On the table is Dionysus, because he is the god of celebration in Greek mythology. The god of wine, which is one of France’s beauties. Also, [Dionysus] is the father of the goddess Sequana, who is associated with the Seine River. The idea was to hold a pagan celebration related to the gods of Olympus. You will never find in me a desire to mock or degrade anyone.”
Furthermore, one of the drag queens participating in the scene, Piche, stated that “no one was dressed like Jesus, no one parodied him, neither in dress nor behavior.”
In addition to the organizers’ explanations, experts point out details that refute the connection of the scene to the “Last Supper.” For example, Renaissance art expert Louise Marshall notes that in the Olympic opening scene, there were at least 17 drag queens at the table, unlike the 12 apostles of Jesus. She also explains that in the “Last Supper” fresco, the apostles are usually grouped in 3-4 clusters, with their images visually and gesturally connected. However, the drag queens’ poses were more reminiscent of a dance style closely associated with drag culture. Louise Marshall also notes that the table should have food, related to a meal, and not fruit, on which Dionysus sat.
Possible Connection to the Dutch Painter’s “Feast of the Gods”
The scene’s connection to Greek mythology was explained on his X account by the Dutch historian of art and architecture Walther Schoonenberg. According to him, the scene depicted at the Olympics was inspired by the painting “Feast of the Gods” created by artist Jan van Bijlert in 1635, housed in the Dijon Museum. Bijlert was a 17th-century Dutch painter who traveled to Italy for studies and came under the strong influence of Caravaggio’s works. Schuenenberg also notes that the similarity between the “Feast of the Gods” and the “Last Supper” suggests that Bijlert was inspired by Leonardo da Vinci’s fresco to depict a pagan feast of gods.
However, Bijlert’s painting depicts gods from Greek mythology. As the historian explains, the painting shows a gathering of pagan gods on Olympus. Among other gods, Dionysus can be recognized by the grapes, and the sun god Apollo by the halo around his head.
At the opening ceremony of the Olympics in France, there was a platter of fruit associated with Dionysus, while Barbara Butch, standing in the middle, wore a sun halo, according to this explanation, similar to the god Apollo.
The article has been written in the framework of Facebook’s fact-checking program. You can read more about the restrictions that Facebook may impose based on this article via this link. You can find information about appealing or editing our assessment via this link.
Read detailed instructions for editing the article.
Read detailed appeal instructions.
