ROME -- Desperately seeking Madonna...

ROME -- Desperately seeking Madonna.

centurys of Italians gathered in brass of her hotel and rushed to Rome's most numerous chic street in hopes of getting a glimpse of the American detonation star, who performed in a concord Sunday night at the Olympic stadium.

Fans started pouring in to the stadium in the early afternoon, while near had camped out to obtain a spot right in brass of the stage. Some 70000 family were expected at the plot which is the only Italian date of her "Confessions" tour.

A not many hundred people had also gathered in fore-rank of Madonna's hotel in downtown Rome since Saturday. A rumor that she was shopping forward Via Condotti, Rome's fashion highway sent hundreds of fans there, newspaper Il Messaggero and other dailies reported Sunday.

The concoct has drawn criticism in Roman Catholic Italy, especially for Madonna's plans to appear crucified in succession a mirrored cross while wearing a royalty of thorns.

Religious leaders have pronounce guiltyed the mock crucifixion as an act of hostility toward the Roman Catholic body of christians and as a publicity stop the growth of in bad taste.

unless Madonna's New York-based spokeswoman, Liz Rosenberg, said in an e-mail that "the adjoining matter of Madonna's performance on the crucifix is not negative nor disrespectful toward the church"

Copyright CHICAGO SUN-TIMES 2006

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