Artist Caravaggio's faith shines at churches run by Pope Leo XIV's order and in new exhibit

A new exhibit of works by Baroque painter Caravaggio is now on view in Rome until July 6, allowing for an updated look at his connection with spirituality.

ROME — The Roman basilica of the Augustinians — Pope Leo XIV's religious order — preserves an iconic painting of the Virgin Mary by Caravaggio, the blockbuster artist who revolutionized the use of light and darkness in Western art.

A new exhibit of works by the Baroque painter is now on view in Rome until July 6, allowing for an updated look at his connection with spirituality.

From the "Pilgrims' Madonna" at the Basilica of St. Augustine to the "Martyrdom of St. Ursula" that closes the "Caravaggio 2025" exhibit, art historians and clergy are highlighting the connections between religious belief and Caravaggio's "chiaroscuro."

"It's the light that directs us toward what for him are the key points of the story," exhibit curator Francesca Cappelletti said about the artist's spotlight on the main characters that emerge from encroaching darkness. "Our life experience makes sense only if invested by a spiritual light."

The Caravaggio Madonna at the Augustinians' Basilica