MILAN-Sister Cristina Scuccia from Sicily was announced winner of the talent contest ‘The Voice’ on Thursday night with 62.3 percent of the vote.

 Sister Scuccia, mentored by Italian rapper J-Ax, won a recording contract with Universal after she wowed audiences with her final onstage performance where she wore her usual nun habit, a crucifix round her neck and plain black shoes.

 Sister Scuccia became a global superstar after her audition for ‘The Voice’ in March where she performed Alicia Keys' ballad ‘No one’, which has already received over 50 million hits on You Tube. Sister Scuccia is a member of the Ursuline Sisters of the Holy Family-some of whom came to cheer her on backstage during the audition.

 “My presence here is not down to me, it’s thanks to the man upstairs” said the 25-year-old nun before reciting the Lord’s Prayer onstage.

 Some of Sister Scuccia’s performances on Italy’s version of the voice, which were aired by RAI, include Bon Jovi’s ‘Livin on Prayer’, Cyndi Lauper’s ‘Girls Just Want To Have Fun’ and ‘What A Feeling.’

 The nun claims that Pope Francis motivated her to audition for ‘The Voice’ when he urged for a Catholic Church that is closer to common folk and “to get out onto the streets.”