Slovakia has decided to boycott the closing ceremony of the Paris Olympics, citing an offensive depiction of Christianity during the opening ceremony. Deputy Prime Minister Tomas Taraba announced the decision on social media, highlighting his disappointment with the event’s direction.

Taraba, temporarily taking over some duties from Prime Minister Robert Fico following an assassination attempt, was scheduled to attend the closing ceremony. However, the LGBTQ-themed parody of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ during the opening ceremony led to widespread Christian outrage, prompting Taraba to cancel his trip.

“I was supposed to represent Slovakia at the closing ceremony, but this Olympics will be forever written as a repulsive symbol and degenerate decadence,” Taraba stated. He criticized the opening ceremony for prioritizing progressive political statements over the celebration of sports.

The Slovak National Party, which Taraba represents, is part of a coalition government with Fico’s Direction-Social Democracy party. This government balances left-wing economic policies with strong nationalist positions, opposing initiatives such as Ukraine joining NATO and the EU.

Taraba accused the Olympic organizers of insulting Christian symbols and promoting an agenda he described as an abomination. He pointed out that the opening ceremony’s portrayal was so offensive that it had to be removed from YouTube. “The insults to Christianity and the presented decadence have reached such a level that they have offended the whole normal world, which understands the difference between culture and garbage,” he remarked.

Global Christian leaders, including Catholic Bishop Robert Barron, condemned the portrayal, describing it as a “gross, flippant mockery” of a significant Christian event.

Thomas Jolly, who directed the opening ceremony, defended his work by saying the resemblance to the Last Supper was unintentional and that he aimed to create a “great pagan festival.”