Vatican cross at stars' crucifixes

Catherine Zeta Jones and Jennifer Aniston were named

Glamorous stars who wear crosses as fashion accessories have come under attack from the Vatican.

Model Naomi Campbell, Friends star Jennifer Aniston and actress Catherine Zeta Jones were all criticised for turning jewel-encrusted crosses into "the mania of the moment".

Liza Minnelli was car-jacked for her £10,000 cross

The comments came from a Vatican news agency, which said that the crucifix was a sacred symbol and described the fashion as "incomprehensible".

"Crosses glitter around the necks of television show-women, leading models and actresses," the editorial said.

"Jennifer Aniston, star of the American TV series Friends and wife of Brad Pitt, wears a cross of platinum and diamonds.

"Fashion model Naomi Campbell has a collection of enormous, jewel studded crosses. Italian fashion stylist Giuliana Cella has more than four hundred of them.

"Actress Catherine Zeta Jones exhibits a cross of gold and diamonds. This mania is incomprehensible," it said.

Other stars including David and Victoria Beckham, Cher, Liz Hurley and Jennifer Lopez are often seen with sparkling crucifixes around their necks.

'Sacred symbol'

David Beckham, Elton John, Elle Macpherson and Claudia Schiffer are reported to wear Theo Fennell crosses worth about £20,000.

And Liza Minnelli was car-jacked for her £10,000 diamond cross in London in March.

The Vatican agency, Fides, questioned whether it was right to spend so much on a copy of the sacred symbol of the Christian faith.

The views were aired by a journalist with the agency, Andrea Piersanti, and were endorsed by the agency's director.

Madonna caused a storm in 1989 when her video for Like A Prayer showed her with a black Jesus in front of burning crosses.

The Pope threatened to excommunicate her if she performed the song in Rome during her Blonde Ambition tour.