A Rome church has painted over an angel that had been restored to resemble Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after the image triggered political and clerical criticism.
The altered face appeared in a chapel of the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina, a short walk from Italian government buildings.
One of two angels had been restored to look almost identical to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first woman premier.
The image was spotted by the newspaper la Repubblica at the weekend and drew protests from opposition politicians. Cardinal Baldo Reina, Vicar General for the Rome diocese, also expressed irritation over the discovery.
When the church reopened on Wednesday, the Meloni-like face had been painted over.
Priest Daniele Micheletti said the change was made because visitors began focusing on the figure rather than attending Mass or prayer.
He told Italian agency ANSA that he had warned the image would be removed if it caused division.
Bruno Valentinetti, the amateur artist who originally created the wall painting in 2000 and was recently asked to restore it due to water damage, said he had been told by the Vatican to erase the Meloni likeness.
The Holy See declined to comment, while the diocese said it would issue a statement later.
Cardinal Reina said on Saturday that he felt "bitterness" at the episode and ordered an investigation, stressing that sacred images must not be misused.
Italy's Culture Ministry also announced an inquiry. Meloni reacted lightly, posting a photograph of the disputed angel on Instagram with the caption "No, I definitely don't look like an angel" and a laughing emoji.
The painting is not protected as cultural heritage, according to priest Micheletti, who said Valentinetti was fully responsible for the original work and its restoration.
Police were deployed across Paris on Saturday, as a curfew was set to take effect in the Republique and Chât...
A drone strike hit a power station in northern Sudan early Sunday (1 November), sparking a fire and triggering loud explosions, witnesses said....
Saudi Aramco's acquisition of a 49 per cent stake in artificial intelligence (AI) company HUMAIN is putting a spotlight on a wider investment q...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Australia has returned two ancient stone statue heads to China, more than 30 years after they were taken from imperial tombs in central China.
Uzbekistan is launching a new fashion academy in Tashkent to help local clothing manufacturers build their own brands, sharpen design skills and compete in international markets.
Baku is set to host the second “Fly to Baku” Art Weekend from 30 October to 1 November, bringing together Azerbaijani and international artists to explore the Caucasus’ wildlife and cultural heritage, and the need to protect nature.
A rare 67-million-year-old dinosaur skeleton known as “Jodi” has sold for $47.3 million at Sotheby’s in New York, smashing its pre-sale estimate and becoming the second-most expensive dinosaur fossil ever sold at auction.
Iran is looking to turn its centuries-old tea culture into an opportunity for trade, industrial development and tourism as it held the Second Tea Festival in the northern province of Gilan bordering the Caspian Sea.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment