'SuperPope' graffiti appearing near Vatican

Pope Francis has been depicted soaring into the sky, fist outstretched and crucifix swinging in the wind, on a wall of the Borgo Pio district near St. Peter's Square in Rome, complete with a white cape and a satchel branded with "valores," the Spanish word for values.

The graffiti mural, being dubbed "SuperPope," was spotted on Tuesday and is the work of Italian street artist Mauro Pallotta.

Update: Early Thursday, the "SuperPope" mural was painted over, Catholic News Service reports.

"It marked a new city record given the piece went up Monday night and most illegal urban 'decorations' are ignored for years," wrote CNS reporter Carol Glatz on the news service's blog.