A Restored Angel Ignites Political Controversy in Italy

A church restoration in Rome has ignited a national scandal in Italy after a newly restored angel was said to bear a striking resemblance to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The controversy began when newspaper La Repubblica noted that a “generic cherub” in the Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina now had “a familiar, astonishingly contemporary face,” leading to widespread circulation of before-and-after photos on social media.

In response, both Italy’s Ministry of Culture and the Diocese of Rome have launched investigations to determine the nature of the work and whether heritage regulations were breached, with the diocese condemning any misuse of sacred art.

The octogenarian volunteer restorer, Bruno Valentinetti, insists he merely faithfully restored the original 25-year-old painting and denies any intentional likeness, a sentiment echoed by the parish priest who authorized the work.

While Meloni humorously dismissed the comparison online, opposition politicians have decried it as unacceptable propaganda, even as the unexpected publicity has drawn crowds of visitors to the previously quiet church.