Demi Lovato has apologised after being baptised in the Jordan River in case her actions "hurt or offended anyone".
The pop star shared pictures of her baptism on Instagram after travelling to Israel and said that being in the country had been "absolutely magical".
She talked about her Christian upbringing and said she had "never felt more renewed" than when she was baptised in the same place as Jesus.
"I am an American singer. I was raised Christian and have Jewish ancestors. When I was offered an amazing opportunity to visit the places I'd read about in the Bible growing up, I said yes," she said.
"There is something absolutely magical about Israel. I've never felt such a sense of spirituality or connection to God...something I've been missing for a few years now. Spirituality is so important to me...to be baptized in the Jordan river – the same place Jesus was baptized – I've never felt more renewed in my life.
"This trip has been so important for my well-being, my heart, and my soul. I'm grateful for the memories made and the opportunity to be able to fill the God-sized hole in my heart. Thank you for having me, Israel."
The 27-year-old former Disney Channel star unwittingly landed herself in controversy with the post because of ongoing criticism towards Israel over its relations with Palestine.
Responding to the controversy, the "Sorry Not Sorry" singer said that she was "extremely frustrated" by the backlash and that she had gone to the country for a spiritual experience, not to make a political statement.
"I accepted a free trip to Israel in exchange for a few posts. No one told me there would be anything wrong with going or that I could possibly be offending anyone," Lovato said on Instagram.
"With that being said, I'm sorry if I've hurt or offended anyone, that was not my intention."
She added: "This was meant to be a spiritual experience for me, NOT A POLITICAL STATEMENT
"Now I realise it hurt people and for that I'm sorry."
