US President Donald Trump has posted a photo on the social network Truth Social, in which he is depicted as the Pope.
The image, which appears to have been generated using artificial intelligence, shows Trump sitting on a gilded chair, wearing a white papal cassock - a long, buttoned robe with a raised collar. On the president's chest is a golden cross, and on his head is a Catholic mitre - a symbol of the laurel wreath.
The left hand rests on his knee, and the right is raised - with the index finger up. In addition, a fisherman's ring can be seen on the right ring finger - a symbol of the Pope's authority - it reminds that the pontiff is the successor of the Apostle Peter, who was a fisherman by profession.
Trump did not accompany the image with any caption or comment. However, after the death of Pope Francis, whose funeral the American president attended, Trump had already joked that he would like to become pontiff.
Pope Francis, who had led the Roman Catholic Church since 2013, died on April 21 at the age of 89 from a stroke that led to a coma and cardiac arrest.
His farewell took place in the Basilica of “St. Peter“. The funeral ceremony took place on April 26 in “St. Peter“s Square, and the burial took place in the Basilica of “Santa Maria Maggiore“ (Our Lady of the Great), which Francis chose as the place of his burial during his lifetime.
The conclave, the closed election of a new pope, will begin in the Vatican on May 7, and is traditionally held in the Sistine Chapel.