Madonna dedicates ‘Like a Virgin’ to pope

Material Girl was performing in Rome just miles from the Vatican

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updated 5:43 p.m. ET Sept. 7, 2008

ROME - Italian news reports say pop star Madonna dedicated "Like a Virgin" to Pope Benedict XVI when she sang the classic hit during a Rome concert.

Madonna made the dedication just a few miles from the Vatican as she sang for tens of thousands of fans at the capital's Stadio Olimpico on Saturday night, the only Italian date of her international "Sticky and Sweet" tour.

Italian daily La Repubblica reported on Sunday that Madonna said "I dedicate this song to the pope, because we are all children of God."

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The "Material Girl" has a history of arousing the ire of the Roman Catholic Church. She was criticized by Vatican officials and leaders of other religions for staging a mock crucifixion during her last Rome concert in 2006.