Particle.news
Download on the App Store
18 ARTICLES
·
3w ago

Meloni-Like Angel Erased From Rome Basilica After Vatican Request

Authorities are reviewing archives to determine whether restoration rules were breached.

ROME, ITALY - FEBRUARY 02: A detail of a newly restored fresco in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina depicts an angel resembling Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, February 2, 2026 in Rome, Italy. (Photo by Antonio Masiello/Getty Images)
A detail of a fresco inside the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, in Rome, shows a cherub bearing a striking resemblance to Premier Giorgia Meloni, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
(COMBO) This combination of pictures created on January 31, 2026 shows Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni prior a meeting at the Palazzo Chigi in Rome on January 14, 2025. And a picture of a newly restored fresco in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina where an angel is reported resembling Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, in Rome on January 31, 2026. Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, joked on January 31, 2026 she does not look like an angel, after a row blew up in the media over a restored fresco in a Rome church.

Overview

  • Volunteer restorer Bruno Valentinetti acknowledged he modeled the cherub’s face on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni after initially denying it and said he removed it at the Vatican’s instruction.
  • The face was painted over Tuesday night, leaving a blank patch visible when the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina reopened on Wednesday.
  • Italy’s Culture Ministry and Rome’s Special Superintendency have launched an inquiry, directing archival comparisons and reminding the basilica that future changes require prior authorization with a submitted sketch.
  • The Diocese of Rome said the alteration was not communicated to competent bodies and reiterated that sacred images are not to be used for political messaging.
  • The chapel’s decoration dates to 2000 and is not a protected asset, yet the likeness drew crowds that disrupted services, leading the parish priest to order its removal to avoid further division.