Madonna is famous for insulting religion rather than practicing it.
That’s why the 63-year-old pop singer raised a few eyebrows when she tweeted at the Pope, requesting a meeting. In the message, she also characterized herself as a “devout Catholic.”
“Good morning, @Pontifex Francis I am a devout Catholic. I swear! I mean, I never swear! My last confession was a couple of decades ago. Is it feasible to meet up someday to talk about some significant issues? Three times I’ve been excommunicated. It doesn’t appear to be equitable. “With love, Madonna,” the message concluded.
Madonna was attacked by the Church during a 2006 concert in Rome in which she was “crucified” in public, according to Page Six. The conduct was considered blasphemy, said in a report.
“To crucify oneself in the town of Popes and Martyrs during a performance is an act of blatant hate.” With Pope Benedict XVI’s endorsement, the deceased Cardinal Ersilio Tonini remarked, “It is nothing short of a controversy and an attempt to generate notoriety.”
“There will come a day when this woman realizes that Christ also suffered on the crucifix for her, that he shed his blood for her,” the cardinal concluded. “I’m sorry for her.”
Madonna was raised Catholic, but she hasn’t followed the religion’s teachings in years.
Madonna had already been chastised by the Vatican after the premiere of her 1989 video clip for “Like a Prayer,” which incorporated religious imagery. According to Fox News, the Vatican has also advised supporters to cancel one of her music tours.
The performer danced in front of flaming crosses, received stigmata (wounds linked to Jesus’ crucifixion), and kissed a black Christ statue who eventually comes alive in the church in the video.
“I wanted to investigate the link between sexual bliss and religious ecstasy,” Mary Lambert, the director of the “Like a Prayer” music video, told The Hollywood Reporter about how they managed to come up with the imagery.
Madonna told Lambert she wanted to “f*** a black man on the altar,” according to Lambert. “Well, why not let it be a Black Jesus? Let’s just go fully crazy.”As stated by Lambert.
Those aren’t the only instances of religious mocking. In 2015-2016, a “Papa Don’t Preach” artist and her dancers danced over crucifix-shaped poles to the song “Holy Water” while on her globe tour.