A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
The mosaic, created by the Vatican Mosaic Studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter, will be installed alongside portraits of Leo’s predecessors in the Basilica’s right nave, around 13 metres above the ground and next to the image of Pope Francis.
Measuring 137 centimetres in diameter, the round mosaic was made using glass enamels and gold tesserae mounted on a metal structure. The individual pieces were cut and set using traditional Vatican techniques, including oil-based mastic.
The work is based on a preparatory oil painting by artist Rodolfo Papa, designed specifically for translation into mosaic. While the mosaic will remain in the basilica, the original painting will be preserved at the Fabric of Saint Peter in the Vatican.
The portrait was completed about eight months after Pope Leo XIV’s election, in line with longstanding custom.
It was displayed on the occasion of the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, which marks the end of the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity that runs from 18 to 25 January.
11 of 19 Kazakh servicemen swept into the Caspian Sea during military exercises in the Mangystau region have died, Kazakhstan’s Defence ...
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meetin...
U.S. officials drafted a statement for Secretary of State Marco Rubio in early September condemning UK, French and Canadian plans to block imports ...
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in New York on Wednesday, as Washington pushes for an end to the war in Ukraine and Kyiv and Moscow continue to strike energy infrastructure.
U.S. President Donald Trump is addressing the UN General Assembly as world leaders gather in New York for the 81st session. Conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and diplomacy set to dominate the event.
U.S. President Donald Trump said his team held a three-hour meeting with an Iranian delegation in New York that he described as “very good” and “productive”, with another round of talks scheduled soon.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
As the Ukraine war is highlighted by some leaders during the United Nations' 81st General Assembly meeting in New York, Russian forces attacked the Ukrainian capital Kyiv early on Thursday with ballistic missiles, killing two people and injuring six, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said.
Pakistan says it carried out air strikes on 10 locations in Afghanistan on Thursday, targeting sites it said were used to store and launch drones, as tensions between the two neighbouring countries continued to escalate.
Here’s your AnewZ Daily Brief for 24 September 2026, with five key developments from the second day of the 81st United Nations General Assembly in New York.
A federal judge ordered U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday to restore White House access for journalists from CNN, MS NOW, and Politico, saying his ban on the three media outlets was likely unconstitutional.
The 81st UN General Assembly continues in New York on Wednesday, with another day of high-level speeches and diplomatic meetings. The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, global security and international cooperation remain at the centre of discussions.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment