Rome church angel restyled to resemble Meloni prompts culture ministry probe

An angel in Rome’s Basilica of St. Lawrence in Lucina was altered to resemble Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, prompting a culture ministry to carry out a same-day inspection of the painting; La Repubblica published before-and-after photos of the work, which the parish priest said was a restoration after water damage and involved pieces dating to 2000 that were not heritage-protected. The artist Bruno Valentinetti says he restored what was there 25 years ago. Meloni posted a joking Instagram response, while opponents warned against politicizing art.