Statement from the Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt on the Opening Ceremony of the Paris Olympics 2024

Cairo, July 28, 2024

The Council of Catholic Patriarchs and Bishops of Egypt denounces what was presented at the opening of the Olympic Games in France

During the opening ceremony, there was a blatant mockery of Christ, where the painting of “The Supper” was replaced by a scene brimming with sensuality and contempt for human values in general and Christian values in particular. The ceremony consecrated ugliness and exaggerated the exaltation of pleasure and lust

The organizing committee of the Olympic Games has gone above and beyond by hurting the sentiments of Christians, deviating from the objective of the sport, which on such occasions, seeks to build bridges of closeness between different peoples and cultures, deepen the concepts of common human values and to preserve human dignity

We reaffirm our rejection of using such international opportunities to violate in any way Christian religious values and principles

We also call on the French government and the presidency of the Olympic Games to review their position

We emphasize the need to respect religious symbols and beliefs

We lift our prayers to God to cancel every plan of evil