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Pope Francis seems like a good-natured guy. He smiles a lot in photos and preaches about saving the environment. And then he met Donald Trump. And now, one particular photo of Trump and Pope Francis launched a meme war that briefly dominated social media. It turns out that a lot of people have ideas about how the pope felt upon meeting The Donald, a man so unlike himself in so many ways, all thanks to the singularly sullen expression on the pontiff's face.
A photographer snapped the shot when the pope welcomed Trump and his entourage for their audience. It shows Trump in the middle flashing his trademark grin, with a dour-looking Pope Francis to his left and a seemingly exasperated Melania to his right. Next to Melania is Ivanka Trump, who looks like she put some thought into how one is supposed to appear when meeting with the Pope, and then held that expression. Both women, following Vatican protocol, are wearing modest black dresses with head veils — which has also drawn attention. What's most obvious, though, is how absolutely unimpressed the pope seems with the situation that the American people landed him in. On the bright side, however, the internet has done some wonderful things with it.
Maybe This Is How The Pope Stands With Everyone
This Isn't How The Pope Always Looks
He's smiled in the past, occasionally.
Donald And The Pope Didn't Get All The Attention
The Handmaid's Tale may have come up a few times.
Maybe The Pope Didn't Appreciate His Gift
Trump gave the Pope a set of writings by Martin Luther King Jr., but maybe there was an electoral map inside.
There Were Comparisons To Meetings Past
The difference is striking, to say the least.
Love A Good Smiting Joke
You knew the smiting jokes were coming when the walking embodiment of the seven deadly sins came to meet with the pope.
There Really Are 1,000 Stories To Be Told Here
Can't wait for that one to show up on Netflix.
Some Saw A More Familiar Story
Trump's face does have sort of an eery glow to it, but maybe that's just his usual sheen.
It's Worth Looking At Other Angles, Too
That photo wasn't just a one-off.
At Least The Pope Provided Some Unity
Perhaps not all Americans, just the majority of Americans who voted against him.
Maybe You've Seen The Pope's Expression Before
Or better, maybe you've had that expression yourself, at age 14 when your parents forced you to take yet another photo on your family trip.
Actually, The Angsty Child Theme Really Stuck
It's beyond clear who "the weird kid" is here.
And The Moment After The Photo Is Just As Good
For Pope Francis, the end of the meeting clearly wasn't soon enough.
The Pope Has Aced These Tests In The Past
Perhaps God's tests weren't quite so difficult in the past.
So Much Nope
"Nope nope nope" was apparently the theme of the meeting for the pope.
Let's End On A High Note
It wasn't always like this. And Pope Francis: In case you need a reminder, it won't always be like this.
The meeting seems to have left an impression on President Trump (which, let's be real, may or may not last beyond his next flight). Let's just hope that it won't have a similar impression on Pope Francis, and he'll be his smiling self again in no time.
