Giorgia Meloni's Face erased from Rome Angel Fresco
A restored fresco of an angel bearing the likeness of Italian premier Giorgia Meloni has been erased from the walls of a landmark church in Rome after days of controversy.
On Wednesday morning, visitors to Rome's Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina were met with a blank space where the "Meloni angel" once could be seen, a conclusion to a saga that gripped Rome since Saturday.
The "restoration of the restoration" was carried out overnight by the original restorer, Bruno Valentinetti, who reportedly acted on instructions from Vatican authorities.
The controversy began last Saturday when La Repubblica newspaper published a story featuring before-and-after photos of a cherub in a side chapel of the fifth-century church in the centre of Rome.
Meloni herself poked fun at the situation on Instagram, posting a photo of the angel with the caption: "No, I definitely don't look like an angel," accompanied by a laughing emoji.
Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the Pope’s vicar for Rome, stated firmly that political figures have no place in sacred art, regardless of their popularity.