The angel that set Italian social media alight for looking uncannily like Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been removed from a historic Rome church fresco, bringing a swift end to one of the capital's strangest cultural controversies. Overnight, the cherub's face was erased from the wall of the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina, leaving the angel headless and the Vatican eager to move on.
The fresco had drawn attention after a recent restoration revealed a winged figure whose features closely mirrored those of Meloni. While restorer Bruno Valentinetti initially denied any intentional resemblance, he later admitted the face was inspired by the prime minister, claiming it closely followed the original design. According to Italian media, Valentinetti said he was asked by the Vatican to remove the image, though officials declined to comment publicly.
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The incident triggered investigations by Italy's culture ministry and the Diocese of Rome, with church authorities stressing that sacred art should not be repurposed or interpreted in ways that invite political readings. Parish officials acknowledged noticing the resemblance but insisted the restoration had been ordered strictly to repair water damage, not to create a contemporary likeness.
What began as a routine restoration quickly turned into a magnet for tourists, curious locals, and political debate, with crowds reportedly visiting the chapel more for the angel than for prayer. Meloni herself defused the situation with humor, joking online that she certainly does not look like an angel. Now, with the fresco altered and the attention fading, Rome's brief collision of faith, politics, and viral culture has come to an abrupt, and headless, conclusion...