Oudtshoorn, 15 January 2026 – The mosaic of the 267th Pope, Pope Leo XIV, is complete and will soon join the others inside Papal Bascilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome.
The Vatican Mosaic Studio has completed a mosaic dedicated to the 267th Pope, Pope Leo XIV, which will join mosaics of all the other Popes inside the Papal Bascilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. In accordance with an ancient tradition following the election of every Pope, the studio has completed a mosaic roundel, with a diameter of 137 centimeters.
It will be installed in the Basilica, one of Rome’s main churches, in the space next to the portrait of Pope Francis, at a height of approximately 13 meters. The mosaic was created using glass enamels and gold on a metal structure, at the studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter.
The tesserae (individual pieces of glass or tile) were produced using an ancient cut-mosaic technique and were set with the traditional oil-based mastic of the Vatican tradition. The execution of the mosaic was based on a painted preparatory sketch by Rodolfo Papa—an oil on canvas of the same dimensions as the mosaic roundel—specifically conceived for its translation into mosaic.
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