An angel's face in a mural in a historic Rome church triggered controversy after it was restored to closely resemble Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The face was ultimately removed overnight under Vatican orders, ending an embarrassing episode for the Church.
In a chapel inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, in central Rome, the face of a winged angel in a mural looked strikingly similar to Meloni after restoration.
Restorer Recants and Admits Prime Minister Was the Model
The Guardian reported on the 4th that restorer Valentinietti initially denied doing so intentionally, but on the 4th admitted to La Repubblica: "Yes, that is the face of the Prime Minister." He said he had already received a request from the Vatican to remove the image. The mural was originally completed in 2000 and is not protected by cultural heritage regulations.
Italy's opposition Five Star Movement criticized that art should not become a "tool for propaganda." Meloni herself posted the image on Instagram with a humorous caption: "No, I definitely don't look like an angel." The face on the mural has now been removed, leaving the angel's head blank.