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| Suor Cristina, Italy's singing nun, wins TV talent show | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Tears, tantrums, and tediously long speeches: all of these are the stuff of any good TV singing contest final. Rarely, however, does the Lord's Prayer feature. Then again, rarely is the contest won by a nun. | Tears, tantrums, and tediously long speeches: all of these are the stuff of any good TV singing contest final. Rarely, however, does the Lord's Prayer feature. Then again, rarely is the contest won by a nun. |
| On Thursday night, to the surprise of almost no one, Cristina Scuccia, a 25-year-old Sicilian with a modest manner and a big voice, triumphed in the final of reality show The Voice of Italy. | On Thursday night, to the surprise of almost no one, Cristina Scuccia, a 25-year-old Sicilian with a modest manner and a big voice, triumphed in the final of reality show The Voice of Italy. |
| Suor (Sister) Cristina, as she is almost universally known, had been the hot favourite ever since she debuted with Alicia Keys's No One in March. | Suor (Sister) Cristina, as she is almost universally known, had been the hot favourite ever since she debuted with Alicia Keys's No One in March. |
| When her victory was confirmed – at 62% it was even more of a landslide than prime minister Matteo Renzi's showing in the European elections, and possibly more heartfelt – she smiled and gave a cheerful thumbs up. Then, standing in her habit next to the bemused hosts, she started to recite the Lord's Prayer. | When her victory was confirmed – at 62% it was even more of a landslide than prime minister Matteo Renzi's showing in the European elections, and possibly more heartfelt – she smiled and gave a cheerful thumbs up. Then, standing in her habit next to the bemused hosts, she started to recite the Lord's Prayer. |
| "The last word of thanks, the most important, goes of course to him in heaven," she said, moments before. "And my dream is to recite a Padre Nostro together … I want Jesus to enter into this." | "The last word of thanks, the most important, goes of course to him in heaven," she said, moments before. "And my dream is to recite a Padre Nostro together … I want Jesus to enter into this." |
| A somewhat startled host reminded her that the programme was running over and "we have to finish!" But Scuccia, centre-stage in spectacles and flat black shoes, was having none of it. | A somewhat startled host reminded her that the programme was running over and "we have to finish!" But Scuccia, centre-stage in spectacles and flat black shoes, was having none of it. |
| In a success story that many have seen as fitting for the era of a popular, down-to-earth pope, Scuccia's appearance on the reality television show has gripped viewers in Italy since her blind audition. | In a success story that many have seen as fitting for the era of a popular, down-to-earth pope, Scuccia's appearance on the reality television show has gripped viewers in Italy since her blind audition. |
| That performance – which left the judges looking incredulous and programme directors, doubtless, suddenly seeing a potential blockbuster – went viral, and has had more than 51m views on YouTube. | That performance – which left the judges looking incredulous and programme directors, doubtless, suddenly seeing a potential blockbuster – went viral, and has had more than 51m views on YouTube. |
| Thursday's final garnered a 21% audience share for the public broadcaster's Rai 2 channel. | Thursday's final garnered a 21% audience share for the public broadcaster's Rai 2 channel. |
| Some members of the audience at the final were wearing versions of Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster of Barack Obama, with Scuccia's face on them instead of that of the US president. | Some members of the audience at the final were wearing versions of Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster of Barack Obama, with Scuccia's face on them instead of that of the US president. |
| The celebrity of a nun in what has always been seen as a fiercely secular arena has not been without controversy among Catholic traditionalists. Perhaps in allusion to those critics, she gave thanks on Thursday night to those who had supported her through "a period that has certainly been difficult". | The celebrity of a nun in what has always been seen as a fiercely secular arena has not been without controversy among Catholic traditionalists. Perhaps in allusion to those critics, she gave thanks on Thursday night to those who had supported her through "a period that has certainly been difficult". |
| But Scuccia appears to have the blessing of the Vatican: shortly after her audition, the Italian cardinal in charge of the pontifical council for culture, Gianfranco Ravasi, posted a message of support for her on Twitter. "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others (1 Peter 4:10) #suorcristina," it read. | But Scuccia appears to have the blessing of the Vatican: shortly after her audition, the Italian cardinal in charge of the pontifical council for culture, Gianfranco Ravasi, posted a message of support for her on Twitter. "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others (1 Peter 4:10) #suorcristina," it read. |
| It is unclear what Scuccia's next step will be. As the winner of the show, she will reportedly be offered a contract with Universal, and her coach on the show, a tattooed rapper who goes by the name of J-Ax, suggested she release a song or album, and give the proceeds to charity. | It is unclear what Scuccia's next step will be. As the winner of the show, she will reportedly be offered a contract with Universal, and her coach on the show, a tattooed rapper who goes by the name of J-Ax, suggested she release a song or album, and give the proceeds to charity. |
| But she was quoted as saying earlier this week that she would leave it up to her superiors to decide whether a career in showbusinesses was an appropriate activity for a nun. "I would also be very happy to go back to singing with the children in parish churches," she reportedly said. | But she was quoted as saying earlier this week that she would leave it up to her superiors to decide whether a career in showbusinesses was an appropriate activity for a nun. "I would also be very happy to go back to singing with the children in parish churches," she reportedly said. |