"Madonna is exploiting Christian symbols ... and attempting to mix human passions, including her own personal ones, with something sacred," said a spokesman for the Russian Orthodox Church, which has urged people to stay away from the singer's concert in Moscow Sept. 11.

Madonna's performance in Rome Aug. 6 drew disapproval from an Italian cardinal, an official of the Italian Muslim League and a spokesman for Rome's Jewish community. They called the use of the religious symbols offensive.

Several local pastors in Rome also criticized the stage act in the days leading up to the concert.

Although the Vatican ignored the controversy, the criticism was frequently characterized in the media as "Vatican opposition." That led a spokeswoman for Madonna to extend an "open invitation" to Pope Benedict XVI to see the show.

During the performance, images of the pope were flashed on a giant screen along with those of other international figures past and present, including Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, Saddam Hussein and George W. Bush.

In Rome, Madonna performed to a sellout crowd of about 70,000 people. Tickets to the Moscow performance reportedly were selling briskly.