“The Gospel is sport!” Looking at the slogans that abound in front of the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris, we can guess that Kauli Vaast is not the only one surfing on the Olympic Games. A popular and universal event par excellence, these Paris 2024 Olympic Games are a wave that the Catholic Church did not want to miss.
So, it is not surprising to see priests in cassocks playing football or badminton with young people on the forecourt of the Saint-Sulpice church, a few meters from the fan zone in the 6th arrondissement of Paris. These are the ” Holy Games » (“Sacred Games” in French), a program developed by the diocese of Paris at the request of the Conference of Bishops of France. A way of linking the God of heaven and the gods of the stadium, in short.
A bridge between religion and sport
“There are many similarities between sport and religion. Especially at the Olympic Games,” explains Don Xandro, the priest in charge of the Saint-Sulpice site during the Olympics. “The values of solidarity, surpassing oneself and transcending oneself,” he adds, specifying that it is more of a parallel than a comparison.
But the opportunity is too good to miss. So, the priest and his team of 18 people, half of whom are religious and the other half volunteers from all over France, deploy the banners, refreshment stands and entertainment every day on the church square in front of the sports fans already seated in front of the giant screen in the fan zone.
“The goal is to show that Catholics are participating in these games,” he explains. 20 minutes Savéria Costantini, in charge of communication for the “Holy Games”. Launched two years ago, the project aims to bring together Catholic initiatives and the faithful around the Olympic Games.
Reach as many people as possible
“We offer camps to hundreds of young participants and we take the opportunity to open the doors of Parisian churches to visitors and to all those who want to participate in an exchange or a prayer,” she adds. In total, 37 churches are participating in the project in the capital, whose “HQ has been established at the Madeleine church (8th arrondissement).
Objective: Reach as many people as possible. “This ranges from visitors who simply want to discover the church to supporters from all over the world who are simply looking for a mass,” explains Don Xandro. Everyone, whoever they are, is invited to stick a pin on the world map installed at the entrance to the building to show which country they are coming from.
“I was just coming to enjoy the cool air of the church at first. And then a nice young man offered to show us the church,” jokes Guti, an Ecuadorian who came with his wife and daughter for the Olympics. A devout Catholic, this beach volleyball fan had not planned to meditate during his trip, but the opportunity was too good to miss: “In all the madness of the games, it’s a welcome break.”
“With sport, there is an easy connection that is created”
His guide was perhaps Jean-François, 25, a volunteer who spends two weeks on site to guide visitors. With his recognizable yellow T-shirt, this young seminarian tells those who wish the history of the church, and the religious significance of the works of Delacroix that it houses: “I love the Olympics and I wanted to participate while carrying out a missionary activity. Here, for ten to fifteen minutes, I show the famous organ of Saint-Sulpice, its gnomon while talking about the Bible.”
Enthusiastic, he guides Americans from the North and South, Africans, Asians and fans of the Da Vinci Code : “There are a lot of people who come because they discovered the church in this book,” he jokes. Above all, he is enthusiastic about living his faith to the rhythm of the Games: “Sport and religion have the advantage of pushing you to surpass yourself, whether physical or mental, it pushes you to love others despite your limits and your own. Look, all you have to do is put up football goals and people are attracted, they communicate with each other, naturally. An easy bond is created. This is what happens between people who practice the same sport, whatever their country. It’s the same for religion.”
Judo, swimming, religion… same fight
“It is also an opportunity to take advantage of this slightly calmer interlude in an often very hectic Parisian life to offer everyone, tourists and Parisians alike, a moment of sharing,” concludes Don Xandro.
No doubt, the religious and his peers also hope that the Games, like the sports federations, will be able to bring them a wave of memberships at the start of the school year. But since the ways of the Lord, like the Olympic ways, are impenetrable, only the future will tell.