The Diocese of Rome, led by Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV, has ordered a church in Rome to restore an angel mural that has been updated to bear a suspicious resemblance to one of President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Europe.
An Italian newspaper noticed over the weekend that an angel suddenly appeared on a newly restored fresco in the Basilica of San Lorenzo Lucina in central Rome, with a face that looked a lot like Prime Minister Giorgio Meloni, leader of the far-right Brotherhood of Italy party.
Artist Bruno Valentiti has denied using the Prime Minister as a model, but the Diocese of Rome expressed “disappointment” and vowed to investigate. On Monday, diocesan technicians told the parish priest that the painting needed to be altered to remove Meloni’s likeness, Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported.
As pope, 70-year-old Leo is also the bishop of Rome.
Daniele Micheletti, the parish priest of the Cathedral of San Lorenzo, initially defended the mural, saying he had no problem with Valentinti painting the prime minister’s likeness over an angel in a church dedicated to “holy souls.”
“This does not mean that we are supporters of Meloni,” he told La Repubblica on Saturday. “Maybe we are supporters of Meloni, but we don’t say that. The face of King Umberto II is also there, does that mean we are monarchists?”
The controversial angel was originally painted in a historic cathedral in Rome in 2000 and restored by the original artist last year. / Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP/Getty Images
A mural of an angel resembling Giorgia Meloni has caused a stir in Italy. / Marco Iacobucci and Simona Granati via Getty Images
But Baldassare Reina, cardinal of the diocese of Rome and a close ally of Leo, responded to the news with a “firm” statement, saying “sacred art and images of Christian tradition can be misused or exploited because they are used exclusively to support liturgical life.”
After speaking with the diocese, Micheletti said the mural will be modified. Archivists are looking for documentation of the original version of the fresco, which Valentiti himself painted in 2000 in the historic cathedral, which dates back to the 13th century.
Pope Leo has been an outspoken critic of many of Trump’s policies, including the president’s hardline immigration tactics and threats to invade foreign countries.
Georgia Meloni has been one of President Trump’s closest allies in Europe. /Evan Watch/Pool/Getty Images
In a meeting with Vice President J.D. Vance in May, he directly expressed some of his differences with the administration and emphasized distance from his brother’s pro-MAGA politics.
In November, a White House spokesman blasted Leo for saying detained immigrants should be allowed to receive Holy Communion.
