Holy smoke: Madonna dedicates Like a Virgin to the Pope

Madonna, a frequent flyer into controversy, dedicated her 1984 hit Like a Virgin to the Pope at a concert in Rome.

"I dedicate this song to the Pope, because I'm a child of God. All of you are also children of God," the 50-year-old performer told the 60,000 fans on Saturday night during the Italian stop of her Sticky and Sweet concert tour.

The self-styled Queen of Pop has had a continuing feud with the Vatican, which once labelled a concert of hers as one of the most "satanic shows in the history of humanity."

The Vatican also condemned her notorious 1989 video for Like a Prayer, which featured burning crosses, bloody statues and Madonna seducing a black Jesus.

And in 2006, the Catholic-raised Madonna staged a mock-crucifixion at a concert in Rome after Vatican officials accused her of blasphemy.

Italian newspapers hailed the singer's electric performance on Saturday night.

"At the Roman leg of her tour, Madonna didn't miss the opportunity for a provocation that will certainly be discussed," Italy's top newspaper Corriere della Sera said on its front page Sunday.

So far, there's no reaction from Vatican officials.

The singer was also in the news recently for her concert kickoff in Wales in late August.

During a performance of Get Stupid,  a set of pictures flashed on stage, showing destruction, global warming, Nazi leader Adolf Hitler and Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

Later on, her show featured a more positive sequence of images with the late Beatle John Lennon, Al Gore, Mahatma Gandhi and Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

"The comparisons are outrageous, unacceptable and crudely divisive all at the same time," said Tucker Bounds, a McCain campaign spokesman, about the show.

The Sticky and Sweet tour hits Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver in October and will end in Sao Paulo, Brazil, on Dec. 18.