The Diocese and the Ministry of Culture are investigating the incident at the Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina
A scandal broke out in Rome over a fresco in the Church of San Lorenzo in Lucina. The restorer gave the image of the angel the facial features of Italian Prime Minister Giorgi Meloni. The initiative to return the fresco to its original appearance was taken by the head of the parish, Monsignor Daniele Micheletti.
On the initiative of Italian Minister of Culture Alessandro Giuli, archival research has begun on the documentation of the design of the Crucifixion Chapel. A fresco was created there in 2000. The ministry instructed experts to check whether the official restoration request was submitted in 2023 and whether the angel's current appearance conforms to the agreed document.
The Diocese of Rome stated that the change in the angel's face was the initiative of the restorer and was not noticed by the responsible authorities.
As the newspaper Repubblica notes, the intervention on the fresco was carried out by a non-professional restorer. The angel with Meloni's face has appeared in public since December but became widely known last weekend. The author of the scandalous work announced on a television program that Meloni allegedly appeared to him in a dream and ordered him to paint himself as an angel.
The Diocese of Rome declined to comment to reporters. RIA Novosti reporters were asked to write a written request and wait for a response.
