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title: Italy&#x27;s Singing Nun Gives Pope Francis Her &#x27;Like a Virgin&#x27; Cover
description: Sister Cristina Scuccia, who won the Italian version of &#x27;The Voice,&#x27; presented the Pope with her first CD during his general audience
canonical: https://time.com/3629460/sister-cristina-scuccia-pope-francis-like-a-virgin-madonna/
author: Elizabeth Barber
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article:content_tier: free
article:published_time: 2014-12-11T05:48:06.000Z
article:modified_time: 2026-02-22T02:45:47.813Z
article:section: Entertainment
og:title: Pope Francis Receives Nun&#x27;s &#x27;Like a Virgin&#x27; Cover
og:description: Sister Cristina Scuccia gave the Pontiff her debut CD.
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og:image:alt: Vatican Pope Singing Nun
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twitter:title: Pope Francis Receives Nun&#x27;s &#x27;Like a Virgin&#x27; Cover
twitter:description: Sister Cristina Scuccia gave the Pontiff her debut CD.
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![](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbd82ec6f6392a7b7/69876e2fcd1bbaaa7a6f41b5/vatican-pope-singing-_wong.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9)


# Italy's Singing Nun Gives Pope Francis Her 'Like a Virgin' Cover

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Ally is built for everyday banking, spending, and saving. Its Spending Account is a checking account that includes early direct deposit (paychecks up to 2 days early), access to 75,000+ fee-free ATMs nationwide, the ability to add cash for free at participating locations nationwide, and no overdraft fees. Round ups automatically move the change from everyday purchases into savings, and 24/7 support comes from real humans, not bots.

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### Disclaimers

* Ally Bank, Member FDIC.
* Round up boosters are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account and requires an Ally Bank Spending Account.
* Ally Bank Spending Accounts include access to an add cash feature utilizing VanillaDirect Pay provided by InComm Financial Services California, Inc. and by InComm Financial Services, Inc. (NMLS# 912772), which is licensed as a Money Transmitter by the New York State Department of Financial Services. Terms and conditions apply.
* Savings buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Savings Account.
* No ATM fees from Ally Bank at Allpoint and Moneypass ATMs plus we reimburse for fees charged by other ATM owners nationwide up to $10 per statement cycle.
* Early direct deposit offers eligible direct deposits up to two days sooner.
* Spending buckets are a feature of Ally Bank's Spending Account.

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by 

[Elizabeth Barber](https://time.com/author/elizabeth-barber/)


## Elizabeth Barber


Dec 11, 2014 5:48 AM UTC

![Vatican Pope Singing Nun](https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltbd82ec6f6392a7b7/69876e2fcd1bbaaa7a6f41b5/vatican-pope-singing-_wong.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=3:2)

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L' Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis greets Sister Cristina Scuccia as she presents him with her CD at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Dec. 10, 2014

In this photo provided by the Vatican newspaper L' Osservatore Romano, Pope Francis greets Sister Cristina Scuccia as she presents him with her CD at the end of his weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican on Dec. 10, 2014AP

by 

[Elizabeth Barber](https://time.com/author/elizabeth-barber/)


## Elizabeth Barber


Dec 11, 2014 5:48 AM UTC

Italy’s famed singing nun met Pope Francis this week and brought him a [gift](http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2014/12/10/singing-nun-gives-pope-cd-with-like-a-virgin/20196561/): a copy of her first album.

Sister Cristina Scuccia, who won the Italian version of _The Voice_ in June, presented the Pontiff with her debut CD during his general audience on Wednesday, the Associated Press reports. The album’s tracks include her ballad-like take on Madonna’s pop classic “Like a Virgin.”

Though some members of the Catholic establishment have [criticized](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/italy/11182688/Italys-singing-nun-criticised-for-remake-of-Madonnas-Like-a-Virgin.html) the nun for the saucy track, Scuccia told the _Guardian_ last month that she saw her version as a religious interpretation of the 1984 hit. In the original, Madonna croons that someone — ostensibly a new lover, but who knows, since Madonna never clarifies that it isn’t God — makes her feel “touched for the very first time.”

“I’m giving it a [new interpretation](http://www.theguardian.com/music/2014/nov/04/sister-cristina-scuccia-the-voice-italy) from a faith standpoint,” Scuccia said. “We can all feel incomplete. I felt that when I was touched by God, then I felt loved like I’ve never been loved before.”

Scuccia also told the _Guardian_ that her next big goal was to speak with, and perhaps even sing for, the Pope.

“I’d love to give him a copy of my album,” she said presciently.

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