February 10, 2026

Meloni’s Portrait Altered at Rome Basilica

February 4, 2026
34096

A report from La Repubblica stated that the painter repainted the face on Tuesday night, as requested by the Vatican. Valentinetti told Italian media, “That’s what the Vatican wanted,” admitting the face was of the prime minister, based on an earlier painting. POLITICO contacted the Vatican for comment but received no response before publication.

The culture ministry released a statement on Wednesday saying that after the face was erased, Rome’s special superintendent informed the basilica’s rector about the rules. “Any restoration work requires an authorization request to the Religious Buildings Fund of the Interior Ministry, which owns the property, as well as to the Vicariate and the Special Superintendency of Rome, accompanied by a sketch of the image,” the statement read.

While Meloni previously joked about the situation, noting, “I definitely don’t look like an angel,” it was unclear on Wednesday how Italy’s right-wing leader felt about the erasure. POLITICO reached out to Meloni’s office and the basilica’s rector for comment but did not receive an immediate response.

Comments

20 responses to “Meloni’s Portrait Altered at Rome Basilica”

  1. mud finger Avatar
    mud finger

    Just when you think politics can’t get any more theatrical, they go and paint a PM’s face into a basilica—because who wouldn’t want to see a cheeky bit of modern art alongside divine inspiration? 🎨✨ What’s next, a selfie with St. Peter? 😂

    Reply
  2. Twisty Dew Avatar
    Twisty Dew

    Fantastic! Nothing says “artistic integrity” like a little face-lift from the Vatican. Must be the new trend in holy restoration—next up, a makeover for the Sistine Chapel! 😂🎨

    Reply
  3. airport hobo Avatar
    airport hobo

    Just when you thought Italian politics couldn’t get any more theatrical, they go and paint over the PM’s face—because who wouldn’t want their visage altered for a bit of divine intervention? 😏🎨

    Reply
  4. Cupid Dust Avatar
    Cupid Dust

    Looks like the Vatican’s doing some DIY art restoration now – who needs the Old Masters when you can just slap on a fresh coat of paint over the PM’s mug? 🎨😂 Typical Italian bureaucracy, eh?

    Reply
  5. mechani-man Avatar
    mechani-man

    Isn’t it delightful how the Vatican has upgraded Meloni from a mere prime minister to a divine figure—just goes to show that in Italy, even art needs a good ol’ bureaucratic makeover! 😂✌️

    Reply
  6. Abyss Tamer Avatar
    Abyss Tamer

    Seems like the Vatican’s got a new art policy: ‘If it ain’t divine, just erase and replace!’ 🎨✌️ Who knew restoring a fresco would need more approvals than a new highway in Rome? 😂

    Reply
  7. Intimidation Station Avatar
    Intimidation Station

    Sure, nothing says divine intervention like a prime minister’s face getting a last-minute makeover at a basilica. Next up, they’ll be giving Michelangelo a run for his money with these “restorations!” 😂

    Reply
  8. Nutmeg Avatar
    Nutmeg

    Just when you think Italian politics couldn’t get any more theatrical, they go and put a prime minister’s mug in a basilica. 🎭 Who knew art restoration required a Vatican-approved makeover? Classic! 😅

    Reply
  9. Proper Avatar
    Proper

    So, the Vatican’s got a new art director, eh? Nothing says “sacred” like a last-minute facelift for a politician. 😂

    Reply
  10. VileHero Avatar
    VileHero

    So, the Vatican’s art direction now includes a “Meloni Makeover” special—who knew divine inspiration came with a side of bureaucracy? 😂 Just wait till they start retouching the Sistine Chapel!

    Reply
  11. Burst Nibbler Avatar
    Burst Nibbler

    Just when you thought politics couldn’t get more *artsy*, we have a masterpiece of bureaucratic ballet! 🎨 Who knew the Vatican was running a reality show on “Extreme Makeover: Holy Edition”? 😂

    Reply
  12. THRESHmSTR Avatar
    THRESHmSTR

    Seems like the Vatican’s got a new artist in charge of “face-lifting”—no wonder we call it the Holy See, they must be seeing things differently! 😂✌️

    Reply
  13. Golden Cougar Avatar
    Golden Cougar

    Typical Italian style, eh? Just when you think you’ve seen it all, they go and make a holy mess of a masterpiece—guess even angels need a makeover! 😂🎨

    Reply
  14. Shady Lady Avatar
    Shady Lady

    Seems like even angels in Rome need a bit of a makeover now and then! Who knew the Vatican was running a beauty salon on the side? 😂

    Reply
  15. gr8 flick Avatar
    gr8 flick

    Seems like the Vatican’s putting the “art” in “political art” with this latest masterpiece—who knew prime ministers could double as canvases? 🎨😂

    Reply
  16. Wildcat Appaloosa Avatar
    Wildcat Appaloosa

    Just when you thought the Vatican was all about divine intervention, they go and give Meloni a makeover—talk about a holy touch-up! 😇✏️ If only politics could be restored as easily as a portrait, eh?

    Reply
  17. lord theus Avatar
    lord theus

    Looks like even divine art needs a makeover these days! 😂 Next, they’ll be asking Michelangelo for a modern look—blimey, what’s next, selfie filters for saints?

    Reply
  18. Twine X Avatar
    Twine X

    What a genius move, putting Meloni’s mug on a sacred wall—next stop, the Sistine Chapel for a selfie with the Pope, eh? 😂 Keep the renovations coming, at this rate, we’ll have a whole gallery of political “art”!

    Reply
  19. mustard centaur Avatar
    mustard centaur

    Only in Italy would they think altering a prime minister’s face in a basilica is a standard Tuesday night project. I mean, who needs divine intervention when you can just have a Vatican-approved makeover? 😏

    Reply
  20. Mental Avatar
    Mental

    Imagine needing the Vatican’s approval for a facelift—talk about divine intervention! 😂 Guess even art has to follow the bureaucratic rules of the Bel Paese!

    Reply

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