WelCom, September 2024
Bishop Emmanuel Gobilliard of Digne, the Holy See’s special representative for the 2024 Paris Olympics, was the representatives of the five major religions involved in the Paris Olympics, at a significant interfaith ceremony held on Sunday 4 August outside Notre-Dame Cathedral, to highlight a message of universal fraternity.
The square in front of the cathedral was bathed in sunshine as Christians, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists and Hindus came to talk about their experiences at the multifaith centre in the Olympic Village and discuss the values of faith and sports.
The event followed a backlash against several scenes at the Games’ opening ceremony from a number of religious leaders across the world.
But the interfaith meeting has a long tradition. A similar meeting of faith leaders had taken place at Notre Dame a hundred years earlier, in 1924, during the Paris Olympic Games, at the initiative of Pierre de Coubertin, who had relaunched the Olympic Games in 1894.
Thomas Bach, the current president of the International Olympic Committee, and Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, were welcomed by Archbishop Laurent Ulrich of Paris, and the French capital’s Auxiliary Bishop Philippe Marsset, who was delegated by the archdiocese to oversee the Olympic Games and Holy Games initiative.
Bishop Emmanuel Gobilliard was there along with the mayor of Paris, Anne Hidalgo, and the Chief Rabbi of France, Haïm Korsia.
Meeting in front of the cathedral under the theme ‘How does sport mobilise the best in man and humanity,’ the religious leaders emphasised how sport can be a powerful sphere of positive values and unity for humanity.
Surrounded by some 100 chaplains from the Olympic Village multifaith centre, they shared their thoughts on how sport can bring out the best of humanity and serve the peoples of the world.
‘Faith and sport share many of the same values that guide us to live together in peace with our fellow human beings,’ Mr Bach said.
He said that ‘the Olympic Games are first and foremost about sport. But they are also about much more than sport. They are about: Togetherness. Hope. Solidarity. Peace.’
The religious leaders spoke freely, with prayers, exhortations or readings. Bishop Gobilliard highlighted the impact of the moments of silence during the ceremony.
‘I think this is the most beautiful way to express a common prayer, it allows you to say something important and beautiful,’ he said.
‘God has performed a miracle.’
This spirit of unity continued to accompany the Olympic athletes throughout the Games at the multi-faith centre in the Olympic Village, which housed five prayer rooms and offered spiritual support during the competitions.
Source: Vatican News