Following the publication of photos that were created by artificial intelligence and depicted Madonna and Pope Francis striking a contentious stance on her Instagram Story on Friday night, her supporters erupted into a frenzy.
Page Six reported that in the first photograph, the pope, who was 87 years old at the time, was seen giving the singer of "Frozen" a hug from the side while sporting a huge smile on his face. While they were conversing, she could feel his nose pressing on her cheek.
"Going into the weekend like..." she captioned the head-turning image.
The second photograph showed Madonna wearing a lace corset, and Pope Francis appeared to be approaching her for a kiss while he put one arm around her waist.
"Feels Good to Be Seen......" the "Like a Virgin" singer penned atop the second snap.
Subsequent to the publication of the images, some on social media were quick to criticize Madonna, with one individual calling her behavior "ridiculously disrespectful."
Throughout her career, the seven-time Grammy winner has consistently stirred up controversy.
It has been reported by Entertainment Tonight that the Vatican has reportedly suggested that individuals avoid attending Madonna's Blond Ambition World Tour due to the music video that she made for the song "Like a Prayer" in the year 1989.
In the video that generated a public outrage, she kissed a black saint who had been wrongfully convicted of murder. In addition, she kissed a number of religious symbols, such as burning crosses.
In spite of the fact that the advertisement had been taken down as soon as it was made available to the public, Madonna was given permission to distribute it to Pepsi in September of 2023.
When she made an Instagram Reel at the time, she included the following statement in the description: "Artists are here to disturb the peace." After being kept secret for a period of 34 years, she finally made the commercial available to the public for the very first time.
In the beginning of this year, a fan who attended Madonna's "Celebration" tour filed a complaint against her, accusing her of purposefully exposing her audience to pornography without providing them with any prior warning.
Considering that her backup dancers were frequently caught performing racy lap dances on stage, it is safe to say that her performances were quite entertaining.
Fans were under the assumption that Ricky Martin grew physically aroused as a result of the Queen of Pop performing a lap dance for him during a concert that took place in Miami in the month of April.
As expected, Madonna's latest post sparked a wave of reactions from both her fans and critics. Some followers expressed their admiration for her boldness, with one fan arguing that Madonna's behavior is simply part of her artistic expression, while others found the images offensive. One comment noted that while Madonna is known for pushing boundaries, this particular instance was "taking it too far." Another person acknowledged Madonna's tendency to be provocative, but felt that this crossed a boundary.
Meanwhile, some fans defended her, calling the photos "art" and suggesting that those who don't understand it might not be ready for her style of expression. On the other hand, some critics were less forgiving, accusing Madonna of not knowing when to stop and labeling her actions as ridiculous. Another commenter specifically took issue with the involvement of Pope Francis, saying that the pontiff deserves more respect, labeling the incident "absurd and offensive." Finally, a few followers pointed out that while Madonna continues to challenge societal norms, this latest stunt might represent a "new low" for her.
Business Times has reached out to Madonna for comments.
