Mosaic portrait of Pope unveiled in Rome

A newly completed mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was unveiled at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, adding to the basilica’s long tradition of papal medallions that line the nave. Crafted by the Vatican Mosaic Studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter, the round mosaic measures 137 cm in diameter and was produced using glass enamels and gold tesserae mounted on a metal support, with pieces cut and set using traditional techniques including oil-based mastic. Based on a preparatory oil painting by Rodolfo Papa, the mosaic was finished about eight months after the pontiff’s election and will be installed roughly 13 metres above ground in the right nave beside the portrait of Pope Francis; the original painting will be preserved at the Fabric of Saint Peter.

The portrait was displayed during the Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, which concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Art historians and church officials said the work was designed to harmonize with the existing series of medallions that trace apostolic succession from Saint Peter onward, balancing historical visual language with subtle contemporary cues to capture the new pope’s likeness and pastoral demeanour. The use of gilded backgrounds and carefully chosen tesserae echoes early Christian and Byzantine influences while ensuring durability and stylistic continuity with earlier portraits.

Clergy emphasized the unveiling’s theological and historical resonance: each added portrait represents continuity and unity within the Church and functions as both an artistic and spiritual presence accompanying liturgies and pilgrimages. Visitors and pilgrims have already paused beneath the new medallion to view and photograph it, reflecting on how the image connects current leadership to centuries of tradition. The basilica’s history of restoration—rebuilding after a nineteenth‑century fire and recreating its mosaics—frames the new installation as part of an ongoing effort to preserve sacred heritage.

The unveiling was described as more than an art event, presented as a reaffirmation of the papacy’s symbolic lineage and the Church’s enduring mission. Craftsmen highlighted the meticulous months-long process of design, material selection and assembly necessary to integrate the new portrait within the basilica’s established iconographic program. As light plays across the gold tesserae, the mosaic quietly joins the visual lineage of popes, serving both as a work of devotional art and a reminder of institutional continuity for worshippers and visitors alike.