Madonna is known for mocking religion, not following it.
That’s why the 63-year-old pop star raised a few eyebrows by tweeting at the pope and asking him to set up a meeting with her. She also described herself as a “good Catholic” in the message.
“Hello @Pontifex Francis —I’m a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don’t Swear! Its been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters ? I’ve been ex communicated 3 times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely Madonna,” the tweet read.
Hello @Pontifex Francis —I’m a good Catholic. I Swear! I mean I don’t Swear! Its been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet up one day to discuss some important matters ?
I’ve been ex communicated 3 times. It doesn’t seem fair. Sincerely Madonna— Madonna (@Madonna) May 5, 2022
According to Page Six, Madonna was denounced by the Catholic Church after a 2006 performance in Rome in which she was “crucified” on stage. The act was deemed blasphemous.
“To crucify herself during the concert in the city of Popes and martyrs is an act of open hostility. It is nothing short of a scandal and an attempt to generate publicity,” the late Cardinal Ersilio Tonini said with Pope Benedict XVI’s blessing.
“The time will come when this woman will realize that Christ died on the cross for her as well, that he spilled his blood for her,” the cardinal continued. “I feel pity for her.”
Madonna was raised Catholic but hasn’t adhered to the tenets of the religion in years.
Even before the 2006 drama, Madonna was called out by the Vatican following the release of her 1989 music video for “Like a Prayer,” which featured religious symbols. The Vatican urged followers to boycott one of her music tours as well, per Fox News.
The video showed the singer dancing in front of burning crosses, experiencing stigmata (wounds corresponding to the crucifixion of Jesus) and kissing a black Jesus statue who later comes to life in the church.
The “Like a Prayer” music video director Mary Lambert described how they came up with the visuals, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I wanted to explore the correlation between sexual ecstasy and religious ecstasy.”
Lambert also said it came about from “Madonna telling me she wanted to ‘f*** a black guy on the altar.’” So Lambert replied, “Well, why not have it be a Black Jesus? Let’s just go all the way.”
Those are not the only examples of blatant religious mockery. On the “Papa Don’t Preach” singer’s world tour in 2015-2016, she and her dancers wore modified nun’s habits and danced around crucifix-shaped stripper poles to the song “Holy Water.”