“It feels good to be seen,” the singer wrote as a provocative caption.
Madonna is once again in trouble with the Catholic Church, or rather: her religious community. As in her song “Like A Prayer,” the 66-year-old portrayed herself as the seductress of a clergyman – this time none other than Pope Francis.
Not exactly Madonna-like
In an Instagram story, Madonna shared two AI-generated images of herself and the head of the world’s most powerful religious institution. The provocatively dressed singer then looks wickedly into the camera while Francis (smiling blissfully) blesses her with caresses. She wrote, “It feels good to be seen” and “So start the weekend.”
You can see Madonna’s “sinful” pictures here:
Madonna’s provocative images were met with anger by many social media users. “This is incredibly disrespectful,” writes one user. Another person raises even bigger questions about the societal use of AI: “Using AI to depict the Madonna with the Pope raises questions about ethics and respect in digital art.”
For others, however, the depiction of these caresses apparently didn’t go far enough. Another video is circulating on X in which Madonna and the head of the church share a tender kiss. Would the depiction of this scenario have been too blatant even for her?
Madonna’s differences with the church
It remains to be seen whether Francis will comment on his fake liaison with Madonna. The pop star had already contacted the Pope directly in 2022. “Hello Pontifex Francis – I am a good Catholic. I swear! I mean, I don’t curse! (“to swear” can mean both – swear or curse) It’s been a few decades since my last confession. Would it be possible to meet one day to discuss some important things? I have already been excommunicated three times. That doesn’t seem fair. Kind regards, Madonna.”
The chronicle of Madonna’s dispute with the Catholic Church goes back decades. After the music video for “Like A Prayer” was released in 1989, the Vatican, led by Pope John Paul II, even spoke of blasphemy and called for a boycott of their tours.