The controversy surrounding a supposed depiction of “The Last Supper” by a cross-dressing performer at the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics is the result of a misunderstanding, a popular Birmingham business owner has said in a Facebook post.
“The scene in question is not a depiction of the Last Supper, but an ancient Greek Bacchanalia – a choice that reflects the Olympic Games' historical roots in Ancient Greece,” Johnny Grimes wrote on Saturday.
Grimes is one of the business partners who purchased WorkPlay bar and music venue in 2023.
In 2020, when his downtown shop, Wheelhouse Salon, was vandalized after the killing of George Floyd, Grimes installed a mural of Floyd with the words “Bham Strong” written on plywood where the store's windows had been.
“While in graduate school, I toured Greece and actually visited Olympia, the birthplace of the Olympic Games,” Grimes writes.
From his experience, he realized the performance was a rendition of a Bacchanalia, “honoring Bacchus, the Greek god of wine, also known as Dionysus.” These festivals are characterized by their wild enthusiasm and festivity, and often last for several days.
“Moreover, the figure you saw was not Death on a pale horse, but Sequana, the goddess of the Seine. Her presence was meant to symbolize the Olympic spirit and the river on which the procession took place.”
Paris organizers apologized on Sunday, saying there was no intention to disrespect Christians.
The Olympic ceremony has been widely criticized by Alabama's political leaders.
“This was a deliberate choice to mock Christianity and Christians,” Sen. Katie Britt wrote on X.
“This is shameful and the same kind of bizarre insanity being forced upon children and young people across America. We need to turn to God and regain our common sense,” Britt wrote.
Grimes said she felt the Facebook post “offers an incredibly diverse and full range of perspectives” and decided to speak out “to help my evangelical/conservative friends make sense of the portrayals they see.”
“I am putting myself out there, firing arrows,” Grimes wrote. “It is always useful to seek understanding before jumping to conclusions.”
