Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Pope Francis to join him in condemning what he described as “perverse propaganda” at the Olympic Games opening ceremony.
During Friday’s ceremony, a scene featuring dancers and drag queens resembling the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus shared with his apostles, sparked controversy. While organizers intended to portray a pagan feast without causing offence, the act drew criticism from Erdogan, Catholic groups, US presidential candidate Donald Trump, and Russia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman, among others.
“President Erdogan stated that under the guise of freedom of expression and tolerance, human dignity had been trampled and religious and moral values ridiculed, offending both Muslims and Christians,” the Turkish presidency said in a statement.
Erdogan emphasized the need for a united response, urging the pope to join him in speaking out. He had previously announced his plan to contact the pope to denounce the “immorality” of the opening ceremony, expressing concern over “the undermining of religious values, perverse propaganda, and the moral collapse” associated with the event.
Erdogan, known for his criticism of Turkey’s LGBTQ community, had initially planned to attend the ceremony but decided against it following a warning from his granddaughter.
