Madonna’s Controversial Cross Performance (2006) During her 2006 Confessions Tour, Madonna performed “Live to Tell” while suspended from a mirrored cross, wearing a crown of thorns. The act was intended to highlight the plight of children in Africa orphaned by AIDS, with a backdrop tallying their numbers. Religious leaders worldwide condemned the performance as blasphemous. German prosecutors considered legal action, and the Vatican labeled it a “scandal created on purpose.” Madonna defended the act, stating it was neither anti-Christian nor sacrilegious, but a plea for unity and compassion.
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