Per week after Pope Francis’s funeral, former US President Donald Trump shared an AI-generated image of himself dressed as a result of the pope, full with a papal mitre and an enormous crucifix. This image was posted on his Truth Social account, following his earlier joke about doubtlessly succeeding the late pope. Before now, Trump had made lighthearted remarks about wanting to be pope, extra fueling the controversy surrounding the submit.
Many on-line clients expressed outrage, calling the submit disrespectful, notably as a result of it was shared all through a time when Catholics have been mourning Pope Francis. Critics felt that the image mocked the papacy and disrespected a whole bunch of hundreds of Catholics worldwide. Some followers pleaded with Trump to remove the submit, calling it sacrilegious.
Together with this, Trump was moreover criticized for not adhering to the Vatican’s strict robe code all through Pope Francis’s funeral. Whereas most world leaders wore darkish suits as a sign of respect, Trump wore a blue swimsuit and tie, which was considered inappropriate by many. Within the meantime, on the funeral, Trump had a fast nonetheless important dialog with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This marked a shocking enchancment of their beforehand tense relationship. The meeting was described as symbolic, notably as Trump took a stronger stance in opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin, following newest missile strikes on Ukraine.
As for the Vatican, cardinals gathered in Rome for a group of non-public conferences, on the point of elect a model new pope. The conclave, which started after Pope Francis’s dying on April 21, would decide on his successor, with many hoping the model new pope would proceed Francis’s progressive legacy.