Authorities overseeing the Pope’s own diocese have moved to have a church fresco altered after an angel’s face sparked controversy for resembling Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a prominent European ally of President Donald Trump.
The dispute centers on a restored fresco inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, a historic church in central Rome that recently underwent restorative works due to water damage.
- A restored fresco in Rome's Basilica of San Lorenzo sparked debate due to a cherub resembling Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
- The Diocese of Rome ordered changes to the fresco to remove the angel's likeness after viral backlash and official investigations.
- Meloni joked on social media, denying she looks like an angel, while church officials stressed protecting sacred art from misuse.
When before-and-after pictures of the fresco were published by Italian newspaper La Repubblica, many noticed that one of the cherubs bore an uncanny likeness to Meloni, who leads Italy’s national-conservative Brothers of Italy party.
The cherub bears a striking resemblance to Giorgia Meloni
Image credits: Marco Iacobucci/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
The photos soon went viral, and the restoration hit headlines around the globe, with officials from the Diocese of Rome and Italy’s Culture Ministry launching investigations.
Meloni herself weighed in on social media, joking, “No, I definitely don’t look like an angel,” in an Instagram post, alongside a laughing emoji.
But the Catholic Church in the capital found the saga to be less amusing, saying in a statement, reported by ANSA, that it would “immediately initiate the necessary investigations to determine the potential responsibilities of the parties involved.”
“Renewing the Diocese of Rome’s commitment to safeguarding its artistic and spiritual heritage, it firmly reiterates that images of sacred art and Christian tradition cannot be misused or exploited, as they are intended exclusively to support liturgical life and personal and community prayer,” it added.
Image credits: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
The controversy has drawn sharp reactions from church officials and restorers alike.
Daniele Micheletti, the parish priest of San Lorenzo in Lucina, told La Repubblica that he did not understand the backlash.
He said, “I don’t see anything wrong with having depicted the prime minister. Maybe Bruno Valentinetti, the restorer, isn’t exactly a man of the left. But he’s not a house painter; he’s very good.”
Asked whether the likeness signaled political leanings, Micheletti added, “It doesn’t mean we’re Melonians. Maybe we are Melonians, but we don’t say so. The face of Umberto II is there, too, so what does it mean we’re monarchists?”
The restorer, Bruno Valentinetti, also pushed back in a separate La Repubblica interview, insisting to the outlet, “This angel is not Giorgia Meloni.”
The Rome Vicariate has ordered the painting to be changed to remove the likeness
Image credits: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
He added, “It’s something only you see. I traced the portrait that was there before. Ask whoever drew that 25 years ago, because it looks like Meloni.”
Despite the insistence from Micheletti and Valentinetti that there is no problem with the cherub bearing a resemblance to Meloni, technical officials from the Rome Vicariate—the administrative body that manages the Diocese of Rome on behalf of the Pope—say the painting must be changed.
During a phone call, reported by La Repubblica, Micheletti discussed the issue with Vicariate technicians and agreed that modifications should be made.
The paper reported that the two sides decided “to find a way out, which will involve modifying the painting,” with work expected to move toward restoring the angel to a more neutral appearance.
Image credits: Antonio Masiello/Getty Images
The Diocese of Rome has oversight of parishes and church buildings in the capital, including restoration work.
While Pope Leo XIV is Bishop of Rome, there has been no public indication that he personally ordered the change, and diocesan technical officials appear to be handling the response themselves.
Parish officials now say they are working toward a solution that will restore the original spirit of the artwork without prolonging the controversy.
As Micheletti told La Repubblica, “We’re looking for a solution … we can’t get stuck on the face of an angel.”
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