A winged angel fresco in the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina, Rome, that looked like Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has been removed overnight. The church's cherished wall painting was left headless after the Vatican told the amateur artist Bruno Valentinetti to erase the face. Valentinetti admitted, "Yes, it’s the prime minister’s face," after initially denying it. The altered painting, done in 2000, was restored following water damage but was not protected by heritage rules. The likeness triggered investigations by Italy’s culture ministry and the Diocese of Rome. Cardinal Baldo Reina said, "Images of sacred art and Christian tradition cannot be misused or exploited." Parish priest Daniele Micheletti confirmed he told Valentinetti to restore the painting as it was but admitted he noticed "a certain resemblance" to Meloni. The church saw a flood of visitors curious to see the angel, with Micheletti commenting, "There was a procession of people that came to see it instead of listening to mass or praying. It wasn’t acceptable." Opposition politicians voiced concern too. Five Star Movement members warned that art "should not risk becoming a tool for propaganda," no matter the face depicted. Meloni laughed off the controversy, posting the image on Instagram with, "No, I definitely don’t look like an angel," followed by a laughing emoji.