Madonna dedicates 'Virgin' to Pope

Madonna dedicated her hit song 'Like A Virgin' to the Pope at her sold-out concert in Rome, Reuters reports.

The popstar, who caused controversy in Italy during her Blond Ambition tour in the early '90s, told 60,000 fans at her 'Sticky & Sweet' tour: "I dedicate this song to the Pope, because I'm a child of God. All of you are also children of God."

The Italian media praised the 50-year-old's performance, although a front-page article for newspaper Corriere della Sera described Madonna's dedication as "a provocation that will certainly be discussed".

The Vatican once slated a Madonna show where she decorated the stage with religious iconography, calling it one of the most "satanic shows in the history of humanity".