The diocese of Pope Leo XIV has asked for changes to a restored church fresco in central Rome after an angel’s face appeared to look like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a close European ally of President Donald Trump.
The Roman diocese instructed the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina to modify the image after an Italian newspaper reported that a newly restored angel had taken on features resembling Meloni’s. Technicians from the diocese visited the church and informed the parish priest that the painting needed to be altered to remove the resemblance, according to La Repubblica.
Reuters reported that the controversy started when before-and-after photos circulated, showing that a cherub in the fresco seemed to have changed during restoration work and now looked like Meloni, 49, the leader of Brothers of Italy. The report stated that Italy’s culture ministry ordered an inspection through Rome’s art heritage officials after the images gained public attention.
The diocese expressed disappointment and stated it would look into how the face changed during the work, according to Reuters and Italian media reports. Reuters noted that the parish priest argued the painting was not under heritage protection since it was created in 2000 and had only undergone limited repair after water damage.
The artist involved, Bruno Valentinetti, denied modeling the angel after Meloni and said he restored the work rather than remade it, as reported by Reuters. An Associated Press story highlighted the debate inside and outside the basilica, with some visitors laughing at the resemblance, while others criticized any perceived effort to incorporate contemporary political figures into sacred imagery.
Meloni addressed the situation herself, posting the image online and joking that she did not look like an angel, according to Reuters. The episode also drew responses from opposition figures, with Reuters reporting that members of the Five Star Movement criticized what they saw as a risk of turning cultural sites into propaganda.
The church in question is located near Rome’s Parliament, making it a popular stop for tourists and worshipers. The AP reported that the fresco appears in a chapel area, and the debate led to calls for both church and state officials to review what occurred during the restoration process.
On Monday, La Repubblica reported that the diocese instructed the parish to correct the angel’s face. The church leadership was in contact with diocesan officials after days of attention from visitors and cameras. Other Italian outlets reported that diocesan officials warned against using religious art for personal or political purposes and indicated they wanted the fresco returned to a neutral depiction.
This dispute comes after years of increased sensitivity around leaks, messaging, and political symbols in public institutions in both the United States and Europe, as Trump’s second-term immigration agenda has strengthened ties with right-wing leaders abroad. The Daily Beast noted that the diocese acted quickly once the resemblance became a national story and said church officials viewed the altered face as inappropriate for a sacred setting.
It is still unclear how long the alteration will take or what the final version will look like. Reuters reported that the restoration work drew attention partly because the before-and-after images made the change easy to see, and because the subject looked like a current prime minister rather than a historical figure.
For the Vatican and the Diocese of Rome, the order to revise the fresco represents a public effort to keep church artwork from becoming a partisan curiosity, even as the story continues to attract crowds to San Lorenzo in Lucina to see the angel for themselves.