Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan plans to contact Pope Francis to address what he considers “immorality” at the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony. The controversial event, which featured a scene resembling Leonardo Da Vinci’s “The Last Supper,” received backlash from Christian and Muslim groups. Organizers clarified that the scene depicted Greek gods, not Jesus Christ, though many religious figures condemned it as blasphemous.
In a statement at an AKP meeting, Erdogan criticized the ceremony for promoting LGBTQ imagery and declined an invitation from French President Emmanuel Macron after his granddaughter warned him of a potential LGBT demonstration. Erdogan emphasized the importance of denouncing attacks on sacred traditions and expressed disappointment in leaders who did not speak out against the controversial ceremony.
Despite Erdogan’s remarks, Pope Francis has not commented on the ceremony, focusing instead on upholding the Olympic Truce for peace during the event. Erdogan has a history of criticizing LGBTQ rights, aligning them with threats to traditional values. Turkish LGBTQ advocacy groups highlight the damaging impact of government-led hate speech on their community.