Graffiti artist chosen to illustrate Pope’s Lent message

The Vatican called on Italian street artist Maupal, famous for his creative depictions of Pope Francis, to illustrate Francis’ message with weekly posters. This year, every Monday during Lent the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development will publish a vignette drawn by Maupal—aka Mauro Pallotta— illustrating a passage from the Pope’s Lenten message. The artist is known to Romans (and the world) for his portraits of Francis painted on the streets of the Eternal City. An artist’s eye By commissioning the artist to contribute, the aim was to “break away from a classical presentation” and invite Christians to broaden their horizons, explains Muriel Fleury, head of communications for the dicastery. An artist’s eye allows us to “see things we wouldn’t necessarily have seen,” she adds.  Lidia Magni | Lidia Magni The first poster, designed around the general theme of the message — “Through the desert God guides us to freedom” — depicts Francis carrying a cart laden with a bag labeled “faith,” tracing a path through a desert littered with nails. These nails, Maupal explained at a press conference, represent “our old and new idols, all our prisons.” “When we follow Pope Francis, who opens the way with the strength...