In response to what it views as an insult to Christians, the Slovak government has announced it will boycott the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics. Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba revealed on social media that he would cancel his planned visit to France, condemning the LGBTQ-themed parody of the Last Supper during the opening ceremony.
Taraba, who is filling in for Prime Minister Robert Fico following an assassination attempt in May, called the opening ceremony a display of “degenerate decadence.” He argued that the event misused the Olympic platform to push a progressive political agenda, detracting from the celebration of sports.
“I was supposed to represent Slovakia at the closing ceremony, but this Olympics will be forever written as a repulsive symbol and degenerate decadence,” Taraba declared. He added that the organizers had “abused the beauty of sport and made it progressive political theater.”
The Slovak National Party, which Taraba represents, is in coalition with the Direction-Social Democracy party led by Fico. This coalition blends leftist economic policies with strong nationalist stances, including opposition to Ukraine joining NATO and the EU.
Taraba sharply criticized the Olympic organizers for what he saw as an affront to Christian symbols and a promotion of LGBT ideology. He noted that the opening ceremony footage had been removed from YouTube due to its offensive nature, saying, “The insults to Christianity and the presented decadence have reached such a level that they have offended the whole normal world, which understands the difference between culture and garbage.”
Global Christian leaders, such as Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, also condemned the portrayal, calling it a “gross, flippant mockery” of a sacred Christian moment.
Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, defended his work by stating the resemblance to the Last Supper was coincidental and that his goal was to create a “great pagan festival.”
