Vatican 'saddened' by Olympics opening ceremony scenes

A torchbearer passes the Olympic flame to French former football player Zinedine Zidane during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. [AFP]

The Vatican said Saturday it was "saddened by certain scenes" at the Olympics opening ceremony that gave "offence" to Christians, as controversy rages over a segment some say lampooned Jesus' Last Supper.

The July 26 show included a scene featuring dancers and drag queens that some said was reminiscent of depictions of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus Christ is said to have shared with his apostles.

Although organisers have said they intended to portray a pagan feast led by the Greek god of wine, Dionysus, that explanation has not dulled the criticism.

"The Holy See was saddened by certain scenes at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympic Games and can only join the voices that have been raised in recent days to deplore the offence given to many Christians and believers of other religions," said the Vatican in a statement written in French.

"In a prestigious event where the whole world comes together around common values there should not be allusions ridiculing the religious beliefs of many people," it said, adding that "freedom of expression... finds its limit in respect for others."

Earlier this week, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who hails from an Islamic-rooted party, said he would call Pope Francis to express his condemnation of the ceremony, saying it showed "immorality against all Christians".

Attacks have also come from former US president Donald Trump, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a group of French bishops, who cited a "mockery of Christianity".

The Vatican did not cite specific parts of the opening ceremony, but the controversy has focused on a segment called "Festivity" that began with a group of dancers and drag queens sitting around a long table.

The show's artistic director, Thomas Jolly, has said he intended to "send a message of love, a message of inclusion".

The spokeswoman for the Games' organising committee, Anne Descamps, said on Sunday: "If people have taken any offence, we are of course really, really sorry."