Controversy Erupts Over Priest's Art in Religious Spaces

A heated debate has erupted within the Catholic Church and broader religious community over whether churches should remove artwork created by a priest accused of sexual abuse. The controversy centers around the Rev. Marko Ivan Rupnik, a Slovenian Jesuit priest and acclaimed artist whose mosaic work adorns numerous churches and religious spaces around the world.

In 2019, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican office that handles sex abuse cases, opened an investigation into allegations that Rupnik had sexually and spiritually abused several women over many years. While the case was eventually dismissed due to statute of limitations, the accusations have continued to haunt Rupnik and raised difficult questions about the Church's handling of abuse claims.

Now, as Rupnik's art has come under renewed scrutiny, religious leaders and art experts are grappling with whether churches should remove or cover up his work, given the unresolved allegations. Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire Basilica in Lourdes, France, recently took the step of covering up a large mosaic Rupnik created for the space in 2025, sparking intense debate.