Madonna recalls her mom’s 1963 death from breast cancer in emotional Mother’s Day post: ‘Nobody told me my mother was dying’

Madonna took to Instagram on Sunday to commemorate Mother’s Day with a post in memory of her late mother Madonna Louise Ciccone, who died in 1963 at the age of 30 when the singer was five years old.

The 65-year-old pop superstar shared a carousel of photos, the first three as she performed in front of huge screens emblazoned with her mother’s image during her recent Celebration Tour.

“I stood on stage for 81 shows, staring at my mother’s beautiful face and wondering what she must have been thinking as she waved at me from the hospital window,” the pop icon said in the caption. “I got into the station wagon and closed the door, not knowing that was the last time I would see her.”

The singer went on to say that amid the family tragedy, the adults in her family did not explain to her what happened to her mother.

‘No one told me my mother was dying. “I just saw her mysteriously disintegrate and then she disappeared and there was no explanation except that she had gone to sleep,” Madonna said.

The singer shared a photo of her late mother on her Instagram account

Madonna, 65, took to Instagram on Sunday to commemorate Mother’s Day with a post in memory of her late mother Madonna Louise Ciccone, who died in 1963 at the age of 30 when the singer was five years old. Pictured on May 4 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The Grammy-winning singer said the sleep-related explanation regarding her mother’s death helps explain a “tumultuous relationship with sleep” that she carries into adulthood.

The artist of hits including Vogue, Material Girl and Music said showcasing her mother’s image during her concert tour had a cathartic impact on her.

“When I stepped on stage and looked at my mother’s face every night,” she said. ‘I said hello, I said goodbye. I said thank you. I hope you’re proud of me. I said, ‘Please protect me and keep me healthy.’

The musical artist, whose full name is Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, is the mother of six children: Lourdes Leon, 27, Rocco Ritchie, 23, David Banda, 18, Mercy James, 18, and twins Stella and Estere, 11.

Sharing an assortment of photos of her children, she said it is a “rare and comforting” feeling to have all her children “sleeping under one roof,” adding, “They are growing up too fast and turning in different directions.”

Madonna said she’s “having a hard time letting go” from a parenting perspective.

Among the slides Madonna included was a shot of David Banda on stage in front of a screen with the image of his late birth mother Malita.

The singer said: ‘I would look up to it. David’s mother -Malita on stage And have the same thoughts. Did I do it right? Is she proud of her son? Am I the mother she wants me to be??’

The pop superstar shared a carousel of photos, the first three as she performed in front of huge screens with her mother's image on them during her recent Celebration Tour

The pop superstar shared a carousel of photos, the first three as she performed in front of huge screens with her mother’s image on them during her recent Celebration Tour

The singer went on to say that amid the family tragedy, the adults in her family did not explain to her what happened to her mother.

The singer went on to say that amid the family tragedy, the adults in her family did not explain to her what happened to her mother.

The artist of hits including Vogue, Material Girl and Papa Don't Preach said showcasing her mother's image during her concert tour had a cathartic impact on her.

The artist of hits including Vogue, Material Girl and Papa Don’t Preach said showcasing her mother’s image during her concert tour had a cathartic impact on her.

Madonna posted a photo of her four youngest children – David Banda, 18, Mercy James, 18, and twins Stella and Estere, 11 – after they joined her on the road for The Celebration Tour

Madonna posted a photo of her four youngest children – David Banda, 18, Mercy James, 18, and twins Stella and Estere, 11 – after they joined her on the road for The Celebration Tour

The Cherish singer shared an image of Mercy James and David Banda in their graduation gowns

The Cherish singer shared an image of Mercy James and David Banda in their graduation gowns

The mother of six posted a family photo on social media on Sunday

The mother of six posted a family photo on social media on Sunday

She snapped a New Year's Eve photo hugging daughter Lourdes

She snapped a New Year’s Eve photo hugging daughter Lourdes

Madonna said she became “really close” with her children during the tour, with her youngest four children taking the stage at select shows.

“We clung to each other,” Madonna said. ‘In the long hours we worked and struggled. They helped me achieve my dreams. In the chaos and the storms… the monotony and repetition… the sleepless nights and the endless packing and unpacking.’

She added, “All the sacrifices. We created together. So many hours of sweat and tears. Grateful for the privilege of bringing people together with music. But we also just wanted to sleep in.’

The Papa Don’t Preach artist gave her thoughts on what it means to be a parent during the holiday post.

“There is no easy way into motherhood,” she said. ‘No manual or university. Just trial and error and learning and succeeding and then failing again. Finally realizing that they raised me and not the other way around.

‘I always laugh with friends and say: motherhood = suffering. But it’s not a joke, it’s the truest thing I’ve ever said. But I wouldn’t change it for anything.’

Madonna received kind words from fellow celebrities like Katy Perry and Diplo in the adjacent comment thread.

Diplo called the superstar a “mother to us all,” while Perry called her “an amazing mother” and “an amazing person.”

Among the slides Madonna included was a shot of David Banda on stage in front of a screen with the image of his late birth mother Malita.

Among the slides Madonna included was a shot of David Banda on stage in front of a screen with the image of his late birth mother Malita.

1715648393 423 Madonna recalls her moms 1963 death from breast cancer in

1715648395 393 Madonna recalls her moms 1963 death from breast cancer in

1715648397 323 Madonna recalls her moms 1963 death from breast cancer in

Madonna received kind words from other celebrities in the adjacent comment thread

Madonna received kind words from other celebrities in the adjacent comment thread

A number of Madonna’s longtime friends in show business, including actress Debi Mazar and her A League of Their Own co-star Rosie O’Donnell, also commented on the thread.

O’Donnell said Madonna’s post was “just beautiful,” while Mazar called her post “so poignant, wise and raw.”

Mazar ended by saying, “Happy Mother’s Day! You’re a great mother.’