July 27th 2023.
Sinéad O'Connor fans took the time to remember the moment she tore up a photo of the Pope following the news of her death. On Wednesday evening, the Irish singer’s family confirmed that she had passed away, aged 56, which prompted an outpouring of tributes from fans and famous faces.
The tributes focused on the impact of her music, as well as her more controversial moments, such as the time she protested by ripping up a photo of Pope John Paul II on Saturday Night Live in 1992. O’Connor presented the photo to the camera while singing the word ‘evil’ and then tore the photo into pieces and declared: ‘Fight the real enemy.’
The backlash was swift, with the singer being banned from the show for life and other performers such as Madonna publicly criticizing her move. However, the photo belonged to her mother, and O’Connor used it as a way to ‘rip her up’ following the emotional and physical abuse she had been subjected to during her childhood.
It was a brave move, for which O’Connor had to pay a heavy price. Fans have reflected on the moment in light of the news of her passing, calling it ‘punk’ and ‘courageous’. A decade after the performance, Pope John Paul II had even apologized for the rampant sexual abuse by Catholic clergy.
In the years following the controversy, O’Connor shared how the incident had an immense impact on her life. She revealed that the decade that followed was a ‘very lonesome’ one as it became ‘open season’ on her and she was ‘treated badly’ in most situations.
Sinéad O’Connor is remembered for her music, but also for her courage to stand up for her beliefs and challenge the status quo.
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