The organizing committee of the Paris 2024 Olympics has apologized to Catholics and other Christian groups that were outraged by a scene during the opening ceremony.

The Guardian newspaper reported that it evoked Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper painting, which featured drag queens, a transgender model, and a singer dressed as the Greek god of wine.

According to NBC the extravagant opening ceremony caused fury among the populist and religious right in the United States and elsewhere, with critics especially unhappy about the apparent depiction of the Last Supper featuring drag performers.

While some fans loved this unabashed display of French camp and kitsch, others — particularly those who espouse conservative or Christian beliefs — were not happy with it, said NBC.

"The Last Supper refers to the final meal that Jesus Christ shared with his 12 apostles before he was crucified. It's also a popular subject in Christian art, most famously depicted by da Vinci, who painted a scene that captured the apostles' reaction to Jesus' announcement of his betrayal, according to NBC.

Thomas Jolly, the artistic director of the opening ceremony, defended the production when asked at a news conference Saturday about some of the backlash. Jolly said he was unaware of the criticism and wanted to display "inclusion."

"When we want to include everyone and not exclude anyone, questions are raised," he said at an International Olympic Committee media briefing.

"Our subject was not to be subversive. We never wanted to be subversive. We wanted to talk about diversity. Diversity means being together," he continued.

"We wanted to include everyone, as simple as that. In France, we have freedom of creation, artistic freedom. We are lucky in France to live in a free country. I didn't have any specific messages that I wanted to deliver. In France, we are republic, we have the right to love whom we want, we have the right not to be worshippers, we have a lot of rights in France, and this is what I wanted to convey."

The Guardian reported that the "unintended parody of the biblical scene," performed against the backdrop of the River Seine, was actually intended to interpret Dionysus and raise awareness "of the absurdity of violence between human beings," organizers wrote on X.

Still, the committee was forced to apologize after the performance caused outrage among Catholics, Christian groups and conservative politicians around the world reported the Guardian

"Clearly there was never an intention to show disrespect to any religious group. [The opening ceremony] tried to celebrate community tolerance," the Paris 2024 spokesperson Anne Descamps told a press conference. "We believe this ambition was achieved. If people have taken any offence we are really sorry."

According to the Guardian, France has a rich Catholic heritage but also has a long tradition of secularism and anti-clericalism.

"Blasphemy is legal and considered by many to be an essential pillar of freedom of speech. Supporters of the tableau praised its message of inclusivity and tolerance," commented The Guardian.

The Catholic church in France said it deplored a ceremony that "included scenes of derision and mockery of Christianity".

Monsignor Emmanuel Gobilliard, a delegate of the bishops of France for the Games, said some French athletes had had trouble sleeping because of the fallout from the controversy.

Archbishop Charles Scicluna, Malta's highest-ranking Catholic official and part of the Vatican's doctrinal office, said he had contacted France's ambassador to Valletta to complain about the "gratuitous insult," The Guardian said.