President Trump on Monday downplayed the criticism over an AI image of him as the pope that was shared by the White House ahead of the conclave to replace the late Pope Francis, saying that

President Donald Trump said on Monday he had nothing to do with the production of an image that showed him dressed like a pope but said it was done in jest. "I just saw it last evening," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.

For the first time, the majority of cardinals to choose a pope are not from Europe, as Catholic demographics shift. But Europe remains the largest source of cardinals.

All of the 133 cardinals expected to take part in the secret conclave to elect a new pope have arrived in Rome, the Vatican said on Monday, with the race to succeed Pope Francis seen as wide open.

Cardinal Peter Erdo of Hungary asked for prayers for fellow cardinals at a church near the Colosseum. Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo of Congo joined priests from across the globe behind the altar of a church in western Rome.

Sunday marked the end of the official nine-day mourning period for Pope Francis. Chicago-area Catholics spoke about his legacy and their hopes for a new pope as the papal conclave is set to begin this week.

The nine-day mourning period following the death of Pope Francis officially ended on Sunday with a ceremonial Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. The Vatican began its traditional “novemdiales” on April 26,