Giorgia Meloni breaks silence over resemblance to restored church angel

A cherub bearing a striking resemblance to Italy's Premier Giorgia Meloni has ignited a minor scandal, intertwining church and state, after its appearance in a historic Roman basilica.

The unexpected depiction, part of recent renovations at the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, prompted immediate investigations from both the diocese of Rome and the Italian Culture Ministry. Their swift and stern responses followed the publication of photographs of the 'Meloni-esque' cherub in national newspapers, underscoring a clear intolerance for perceived profanity within a sacred space.

This unexpected furore has propelled the ancient basilica, already a renowned Roman landmark, into newfound celebrity. The church was reportedly packed with curious visitors eager to photograph the angel in a side chapel near the main altar, occasionally disrupting ongoing Mass services.

Ms Meloni, for her part, tried to tamp down the outcry and make light of it.

“No, I definitely don't look like an angel,” she wrote on social media with a laughing/crying emoji alongside a photo of the work.

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The basilica is located on one of Rome's fanciest piazzas just down the block from the Spanish Steps. It was consecrated in 440 by Pope Sixtus III and subsequently enlarged and rebuilt. It is now the property of the Interior Ministry, which is responsible for its upkeep.

In 2000, one of the front chapels was renovated to include a bust of the last king of Italy, Umberto II. Included in the decoration was a cherub holding a map of Italy, seemingly kneeling before the king.

That figure is now under scrutiny since the cherub's face, after a recent restoration, appears modelled on Ms Meloni's. It is problematic because the cherub appears in a position of deference to the king. Italians rejected the monarchy after World War II because of its support for Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini; Ms Meloni's right-wing party has its roots in the neo-fascist party that succeeded Mussolini.

The cherub was restored after water infiltrations damaged the basilica starting in 2023. The parish priest, the Rev. Daniele Micheletti, acknowledged the resemblance to Ms Meloni, but dismissed the significance, noting that plenty of artists depicted real life people in their works.

Caravaggio is said to have modelled the Virgin Mary on a prostitute in one of his works; Michelangelo painted himself as St. Bartholomew in the Sistine Chapel's “The Last Judgement”.

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“The priest is not responsible for the decorations in the sense that the owner is someone else,” Micheletti told The Associated Press on Monday in his office, as his phone rang constantly. “So, what do they want from me? I did not do the painting.”

Over the weekend, the Culture Ministry sent a special delegate, Daniela Porro, and ministry officials to the basilica to survey the angel. Their aim, according to a ministry statement, was to “ascertain the nature of the work” and “decide what to do”.

The restorer, for his part, has denied wrongdoing and denied he used Ms Meloni as a model. In interviews with Italian media, Bruno Valentinetti said Ms Meloni was in the eye of the beholder and that he merely restored the original painting, which he himself had made in 2000.

The investigations are looking to determine what the original 2000 cherub looked like.

The vicar of Rome, Cardinal Baldassare Reina, was far less forgiving. He announced an investigation and criticised Micheletti's blasé attitude in insisting that a political figure had no place in church art."

In renewing the diocese of Rome's commitment to the preservation of its artistic and spiritual heritage, it is firmly reiterated that images of sacred art and Christian tradition cannot be misused or exploited, as they are intended exclusively to support liturgical life and personal and communal prayer," the diocese said a statement.