LOS ANGELES: After creating a buzz with her bizarre, near-naked ensemble at the MTV Video Music Awards (VMA), American singer Miley Cyrus has sparked another controversy, this time causing a furore among Catholics.

After the Parents Television Council blasted her over her hosting gig at the MTV VMA, several Catholics were left in anger when she promoted her surprise album Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz on Instagram, reports aceshowbiz.com.

Cyrus took to the photo-sharing site on September 1 night to post a photoshopped image of Pope Francis, holding a copy of her newly-dropped record.

“All the cool kidzzzz are listening to #mileycyrusandherdeadpetz. Check it out,” she wrote in the caption.

Many found the use of the Pope’s photograph to promote Cyrus’s album offensive. “Enferma mental (mentally ill),” a fan commented in Spanish, while another said, “This is disrespectful.” Another fan agreed, “Yeah not okay with this, love u but love Pope Francis more.”