Olympic fury as French Bishops Conference 'regrets' scenes with 'Christianity mocked and ridiculed'

French Bishops Conference (FBC) has slammed part of the Olympics opening ceremony that " mocked and ridiculed" Christianity in Paris on Friday.

The games were officially opened by a spectacular and often edgy ceremony on the River Seine, with performances from stars from France and beyond. But one scene has angered many high-profile Christians, with accusations it was mocking The Last Supper, Leonardo di Vinci's iconic painting that depicts the final meal of Jesus Christ with his disciples.

The official Olympics social media platform moved to ease tensions surrounding the performance, which featured actor and singer Phillippe Katerine in blue body paint alongside several drag queens, saying it was a depiction of the Greek God Dionysus which was intended to highlight "the absurdity of violence between human beings."

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But that has not curbed the anger of religious figures, with the FBC issuing a scathing statement in response to the opening ceremony.

"We believe that the values and principles expressed and disseminated by sport and Olympism contribute to the need for unity and fraternity that our world so desperately needs, while respecting everyone's convictions, around the sport that brings us together and promotes peace among nations and hearts," the statement read.

"Last night's opening ceremony offered the world a marvelous display of beauty and joy, rich in emotion and universally acclaimed. This ceremony unfortunately included scenes of mockery and derision of Christianity, which we deeply regret. We would like to thank the members of other religious denominations who have expressed their solidarity with us.

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"Today, we are thinking of all the Christians on every continent who have been hurt by the outrageousness and provocation of certain scenes. We want them to understand that the Olympic celebration goes far beyond the ideological biases of a few artists.

"Sport is a wonderful human activity that deeply delights the hearts of athletes and spectators alike. Olympism is a movement at the service of this reality of human unity and fraternity. Now it's time to take to the field, and may it bring truth, consolation and joy to all!"

Katerine brushed aside the criticism, telling BFM TV: "It wouldn't be fun if there were no controversy. Wouldn't it be boring if everyone agreed on this planet?"

Catholic leaders stateside were also left disgusted by what they saw. Bishop Robert Barron uploaded a video expressing his feelings, telling his followers: "I love the Olympics, so I turn on the opening ceremony of the Olympics. And what do I see now? It's in Paris, France, a city I love, I spent three years as a doctoral student there.

"I see this gross mockery of The Last Supper and I won't describe it any further. France felt evidently, as it's trying to put its best cultural foot forward, that the right thing to do is to mock this very central moment in Christianity where Jesus at his last supper gives his body and blood in anticipation of the cross."