Kabbalah 'caused Madonna marriage split'

Rex Features

Christopher Ciccone has claimed that the Kabbalah faith is to blame for his sister Madonna's split from Guy Richie.

Ciccone told German newspaper Bild that Madonna used the religion as the foundation for her marriage.

"The Kabbalah sect, to which Madonna is completely devoted, played a large role in this marriage," he said. "It was based on it. And that is not enough on which to base a marriage. It couldn't have survived."

Ciccone added that saving the marriage was out of the question, since both his estranged sister and Richie are "ambitious and headstrong personalities".

"As for a reconciliation, I really don't think so," he remarked. "With two such ambitious and headstrong personalities, it would just be too hard."