The face of an angel on a restored church fresco in Rome that sparked outrage because of its likeness to Italy's prime minister, has been crudely scrubbed out by the artist who painted it.
Church and government officials launched an investigation after pictures of a cherub at the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina showed her newly restored face had an uncanny likeness to right-wing leader, Giorgia Meloni.
The artist, Bruno Valentinetti, at first denied the claims, but on Wednesday he admitted that it was indeed the prime minister's face. He insisted that it was similar to the original, however.
Valentinetti, 83, told la Repubblica that he was ordered to cover up the painting by the Vatican.
The original facial features will now be restored, the office of the Diocese of Rome said on Wednesday, following a strongly worded statement from Rome's Cardinal Baldassare Reina.
