In Italy, the resemblance of an angel depiction in a church in Rome to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has caused controversy. This incident led the Ministry of Culture to launch an investigation and Meloni herself to react ironically.
Redaksiya reports, citing Unian, that there are detailed accounts of the incident. In a chapel at the Basilica of St. Lawrence, the face of one of two angels was noted by local journalists to resemble Giorgia Meloni after it was restored. Before this change, the angel looked like a common cherub.
The church's priest, Daniele Micheletti, told the ANSA news agency that the chapel's decorations were restored after water damage. He noted that the original works date only to the year 2000 and are therefore not subject to heritage protection laws. The restoration work was carried out by Bruno Valentetti, the same artist who painted the original. Valentetti, in a statement to journalists, denied claims that he altered the depiction, stating, "I restored what was there before... 25 years ago."
The Italian Ministry of Culture announced that it has instructed the chief official for artistic heritage matters in Rome to inspect the restored fresco and "decide on subsequent steps." Opposition politicians, meanwhile, demanded that art and culture not be allowed to be "turned into a propaganda tool."
It is recalled that in the United States, the center named after Kennedy was renamed to include the name of US President Donald Trump. However, some public figures opposed this. In Congress, plans are being made to prevent Trump from renaming facilities after himself.
Giorgia Meloni also reacted to the incident. She shared a photo of the controversial fresco on her Instagram account with the caption, "No, I don't look like an angel at all," along with a laughing emoji. This incident suggests that an Italian artist was inspired by Meloni's features when creating the church painting.