A video with Russian President Vladimir Putin has stirred up conversation on social media that may have religious implications going forward.

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— SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) March 22, 2024

Addressing the World Russian People’s Council, under the leadership of Patriarch Kirill, head of Russia’s Orthodox church, Putin’s image was prominently displayed on a large screen flanked by two replicas of an ancient Orthodox icon. These icons, revered as sacred in Orthodox tradition, are intricate religious paintings typically adorned with gold.

Following the unveiling of these icons, social media platforms buzzed with speculation about Putin’s choice of imagery, with some asserting that it implied a connection to Jesus Christ being depicted as a person of African descent. Below are some reactions to this interpretation.

Ethiopia has some of the oldest Bibles and depictions of Yeshua in the world. Even the Virgin Mary is depicted as having dark skin. pic.twitter.com/sZi98Vyjf6

— Cheshire Squire (@Enkidu40) March 22, 2024

Russian President Vladimir Putin decided to hand over the historic 15th-century Trinity icon from a museum to the Russian Orthodox Church because of its importance to believers, the Kremlin’s spokesman.The Church, whose conservatism Putin has espoused as part of his vision for Russia’s national identity, is one of the most ardent institutional supporters of Russia’s war in Ukraine.