“We condemn these insults directed at the sacred figures of divine religions, including Jesus Christ,” declared Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Similar statements were issued by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Egypt.
Editorial Staff (07/31/2024 12:24, Gaudium Press) Senior officials from the governments of Iran and Turkey, along with other Muslim religious figures, have spoken out against the parody of the Last Supper performed by drag queens during the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, which has sparked outrage worldwide.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran, condemned the “insults” directed at Jesus Christ, noting that he is a respected figure in Islam.
“Respect for Jesus Christ… is an indisputable and definitive matter for Muslims,” Khamenei said in a post on X. “We condemn these insults directed at the sacred figures of divine religions, including Jesus Christ,” added the Supreme Leader of Iran.
Türkiye
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also expressed his opposition to the ceremony, stating that he planned to contact Pope Francis to discuss the “immorality committed against the global Christian community.”
Erdoğan stated in a speech in Ankara that “the disgraceful scene in Paris not only offended the global Catholic and Christian community, but also us.” “The immorality demonstrated at the opening of the Paris Olympics once again highlighted the magnitude of the threat we face,” he added.
Egypt
The leading Sunni Islam institution in Egypt, Al-Azhar, also issued a statement vehemently condemning the representation at the Olympic ceremony, which depicted Jesus Christ in an offensive and disrespectful manner.
For its part, the Muslim Council of Elders, under the chairmanship of Dr. Ahmed Al-Tayeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, also condemned the opening ceremony.
“This shameful act showed a total lack of respect for the beliefs of religious people and the high moral values they cherish. The council unequivocally rejects all attempts to demean religious symbols, beliefs, and sacred figures.”
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
