Playboy's formal apology to Catholics

Playboy magazine has issued its formal apology for publishing controversial cover featuring model Maria Florencia Onori posing nude as Virgin Mary in its Mexican edition. The cover shows the model standing in front of a stained glass window with scantly clad in a white cloth, which had created rows among Catholics.

According to sources, the model Maria Florencia Onori has posed naked as Mother Virgin Mary for Mexican edition of Playboy for December issue. The magazine has already printed 100,000 copies of the issue, which have hit the stands seven days before the honouring Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe.

The Chicago based adult entertainment company, Playboy Enterprises Inc., has now issued a formal statement on Friday stating that the Mexican edition of the magazine is published by a licensee, and the company did not approve the cover.

The company said, "While Playboy Mexico never meant for the cover or images to offend anyone, we recognize that it has created offense, and we as well as Playboy Mexico offer our sincerest apologies."

Meanwhile, Raul Sayrols, publisher of Playboy Mexico said,"The image is not and never was intended to portray the Virgin of Guadalupe or any other religious figure. The intent was to reflect a Renaissance-like mood on the cover."