During her performance of the song “Live to Tell,�? Madonna wears a faux crown of thorns and is hung from a cross. Many church leaders are objecting to the presentation of such an only a mile away from the Vatican City. Said Father Manfredo Leone, "Being raised on a cross with a crown of thorns like a modern Christ is absurd. Doing it in the cradle of Christianity comes close to blasphemy."

Muslim and Jewish religious leaders are standing by Christian opponents of the stunt. Vice president of the Roman Jewish community, Riccardo Pacifici said that Madonna should have had the sensitivity to take the crucifixion scene out of the Rome stop on the tour. Mario Scialoja, the head of Italy's Muslim League, was harsher in his criticism. He said, "I think her idea is in the worst taste and she'd do better to go home."

Meanwhile, Madonna is planning a television broadcast of the show on NBC in November. The program will be called “Live to Tell�? and will feature the controversial moment featuring that song. NBC executive Kevin Reilly said, "She felt like that was a cornerstone of the show. We viewed it and didn't see it as being inappropriate."