The Vatican’s centuries-old tradition of honoring each newly elected pope with a mosaic portrait has reached a new milestone with the completion of a medallion depicting Pope Leo XIV, destined for the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls.
According to the Holy See Press Office, the mosaic was completed by the Vatican Mosaic Studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter a little more than eight months after Pope Leo XIV’s election. The project was commissioned at the request of Cardinal James Michael Harvey, Archpriest of the basilica, in keeping with the longstanding custom observed after each pontifical election.
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The finished work takes the form of a round medallion measuring 137 centimeters in diameter. It was crafted using glass enamels and gold set on a metal structure. The Holy See Press Office explained that the individual tesserae were produced using an “ancient cut-mosaic technique” and assembled with the “traditional oil-based mastic of the Vatican tradition,” underscoring the continuity of sacred art practices passed down through generations.
The mosaic’s design was developed from a painted preparatory sketch by artist Rodolfo Papa. According to Vatican News, the oil-on-canvas sketch was created at the same scale as the final mosaic and was “specifically conceived for its translation into mosaic,” allowing the finished work to faithfully reflect the original artistic vision.
Once installed, the portrait of Pope Leo XIV will be placed in the right nave of Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, at a height of approximately 13 meters. It will hang alongside the mosaic of his immediate predecessor, Pope Francis, visually continuing the unbroken line of papal portraits that trace the Church’s apostolic succession.
While the mosaic itself will take its place in the basilica, the original painted sketch will remain preserved at the Fabric of Saint Peter, together with the full collection of pontifical portraits. According to Vatican officials, this ensures that both the finished mosaic and its preparatory work become part of the Church’s artistic and historical patrimony, bearing witness to the papacy of Pope Leo XIV for generations to come.
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