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7h ago

Italy Orders Review of Rome Church Fresco After Angel Resembles PM Meloni

Heritage officials are inspecting the restored chapel image to determine whether the work departed from the original design.

A detail of a restored chapel with Angels depicted on a fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A restored chapel with Angels depicted on a fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II is seen inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
A restored chapel with Angels depicted on a fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II is seen inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
People take pictures at a restored fresco to the memory of late Italy's King Umberto II depicting Angels inside the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina in Rome, Sunday, Feb. 1, 2026. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)

Overview

  • The culture ministry directed Rome’s art authority to carry out an inspection of the San Lorenzo in Lucina chapel painting and to decide next steps based on the findings.
  • The Soprintendenza said it will compare the restored angel with archive materials to verify any deviations from the original lines.
  • Officials indicated that if unauthorized alterations are confirmed, the image could be restored to its previous state and those responsible may face penalties.
  • Restorer Bruno Valentinetti, who painted the original angel around 2000, denied inserting a likeness and said he merely reinstated what was already there after water damage.
  • Parish priest Daniele Micheletti acknowledged a resemblance noted by media, opposition figures warned against political propaganda, and Giorgia Meloni joked on Instagram that she does not look like an angel.