Controversial Cherub Painting in Roman Basilica Altered After Stir

ROME — Whether considered an act of divine intervention, or simply a rapid solution to quash mounting speculation and controversy, the outcome remains unchanged: the Meloni-inspired Angel is no longer visible.

A painting of a cherub, whose facial features closely resembled those of Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni, captivated visitors at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina. However, when the church reopened its doors on Wednesday, the cherub’s face had been hastily obscured, remaining only as a body beneath a crude layer of paint or plaster.

La Repubblica, the newspaper that first highlighted the Meloni-like angel on its front page on Saturday, reported that the restorer responsible for creating the cherub’s likeness to Meloni had concealed it overnight at the church authorities’ behest. Restorer Bruno Valentinetti acknowledged to the paper that he modeled the angel after Meloni but did not explain his reasoning.

This development prompted investigations by both the diocese of Rome and the Italian Culture Ministry after the cherub’s image first appeared in the media.

Given that the original artwork only dated back to the year 2000, its alteration did not affect the church’s historic heritage. Nonetheless, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the pope’s vicar for Rome, insisted that church art should remain free from political influences.

The resulting buzz elevated the basilica’s fame, drawing in curious locals and tourists eager to capture their own images of the Meloni cherub, occasionally interrupting religious services.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Culture Ministry established directives for the future, asserting that should the basilica wish to repaint the angel’s face, it must secure prior authorization from the government, which owns the church, the diocese of Rome, which manages it, and the culture ministry’s special superintendency for Rome. Any request must also include a sketch of the intended image.

The original cherub, created by Valentinetti in 2000 during a renovation of one of the basilica’s front chapels, was part of an art piece that also displayed a bust of Italy’s last king, Umberto II. Illustrating the decoration was a cherub holding a map of Italy, seemingly bowing before the king.

The cherub had to be restored following water damage to the basilica in 2023, re-emerging with the altered features akin to Meloni. Investigations were underway to determine the original appearance of the 2000 cherub in hopes of restoring the painting to its initial form. The faceless cherub on display seemed to serve as a temporary measure to remove Meloni’s likeness.

Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni seemed unperturbed by the incident. In a light-hearted social media post over the weekend, she quipped, “No, I definitely don’t look like an angel,” using a laughing/crying emoji alongside an image of the artwork.