New York Catholic Bishops Denounce Trump’s AI Image As Pope: “Do Not Mock Us”

New York’s Catholic leaders have denounced President Donald Trump for his synthetic intelligence-generated symbol of himself because the pope, reflecting public outcry concerning the insensitivity of sharing one of these photograph within the wake of Pope Francis‘ loss of life.

“There is nothing clever or funny about this image, Mr. President,” the reliable NYS Catholic Conference, which represents the general public coverage voice of the state’s bishops, wrote on X. “We just buried our beloved Pope Francis and the cardinals are about to enter a solemn conclave to elect a new successor of St. Peter. Do not mock us.”

The symbol depicts Trump — who isn’t Catholic — seated on an gilded chair, wearing white papal vestments and headdress, with one finger raised, in a gesture that inspires Christ and different non secular figures’ hand symbols in Christian iconography. Saturday Night Live‘s Colin Jost addressed the image’s gesture, joking that it seemed as though Trump used to be “apparently ordering a one-way ticket to hell.”

“Who posts a photograph of a themselves dressed like a man who died every week in the past? Trump used to be at the Pope’s funeral. That approach he walked previous an open casket and used to be like, ‘Oh, we should do a Who Wore It Best?’” Jost said, adding that if Trump “really wants” to be the pope, he should stay away from Vice President JD Vance, who late night hosts have joked caused Pope Francis’ loss of life.

The GOP chief posted the falsified symbol on his Truth Social platform Friday, with the reliable White House X account reposting it later. It got here days after he and numerous different nationwide leaders and political figures attended the funeral of the preferrred pontiff April 26, for which he used to be moreover lambasted for opting to don a blue go well with as an alternative of a black one. The publish additionally follows Trump telling newshounds out of doors the White House in jest previous this week that he wish to be triumphant Pope Francis, announcing, “I’d like to be pope. That would be my No. 1 choice.”

As the AI-generated symbol unfold, it used to be condemned broadly by means of social media customers each non secular and secular, with one in style publish, which garnered over 175,000 likes, censuring it as “actual antichrist sh–.” The phrase “antichrist” trended on X within the aftermath.

Currently, the sector’s cardinals are making ready for the papal conclave this Wednesday, webhosting basic congregations forward of the Vatican tournament that may see the Sistine Chapel’s ceremonial chimney ultimately free up white smoke in birthday party of the election of the 267th pope. In general, 133 cardinals will likely be vote casting all the way through what is anticipated to be a brief conclave, with 108 of them appointed by means of Pope Francis. Ten are from the United States.

In anticipation of the rarified tournament, streaming of thematically consultant tasks — just like the Oscar-winning Conclave and three-time Academy Award-nominated The Two Popes — have skyrocketed.