'Excommunicate Madonna'

The Vatican accused Madonna of blasphemy and profanity today over her controversial stage act.

Senior figures in Rome, where she is to appear in front of 75,000 fans on Sunday, called for her to be excommunicated.

They launched a scathing attack over the star wearing a crown of thorns while hanging from a huge cross as she sings Live To Tell during her Confessions Tour.

Cardinal Ersilio Tonino, speaking with the approval of Pope Benedict XVI, said: "This time the limits have really been pushed too far.

"This (concert) is a blasphemous challenge to the faith and a profanation of the cross. She should be excommunicated."

He added: "To crucify herself during the concert in the city of Popes and martyrs is an act of open hostility. It is nothing short of a scandal and an attempt to generate publicity.

"What is really offensive is the exaggeration of it all; it is clearly anti-Church, poor taste and most of all, an insult to Christ.

"The time will come when this woman will realise that Christ died on the cross for her as well, that he spilt his blood for her. I feel pity for her.

"I just want to tell her that she must really have reached rock bottom if she feels that to attract the attention of the media she has to enact Christ's suffering and death on the cross."

Another Vatican official, Bishop Velasio De Paolis, said: " Wizards and satanists use religious objects for black masses and she is simply following them.

"How this woman can take the name of the mother of Christ I don't know. Her show represents the rotten fruit of secularism and the absurdity of evil. What adds to the offence is that she is doing this in the city which is the cradle of the Roman Catholic faith.

"A few months ago there was fury at the cartoons of Mohammed. Here we have a blatant profanity of the cross and no one bats an eyelid."