A statue of the late Pope John Paul II, which some critics have claimed resembles the Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini, is – in true Italian style – about to receive some early cosmetic surgery.
The five-metre bronze monument, which rises from one of the flower beds outside Rome’s main Termini train station, was unveiled on 18 May, on what would have been the late pope’s 91st birthday. Its abstract rendering of John Paul, who was beatified on 1 May, features a heavy-set head on a minimalist, billowing cloak, intended to symbolise the pontiff’s willingness to embrace his flock.
But the statue’s tent-liked form, squashed facial features and bullet-shaped head did not go down well with church or layman
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