A magazine of the militant Islamic group ISIS has called for a war against the Catholic Church.
With the headline “The Failed Crusade”, the photo-shopped cover of the latest issue of Dabiq shows a black ISIS flag at St Peter’s Square.
The article issues threats against Rome and the Vatican, threatening to “conquer” Rome and “break your crosses”.
Italy’s ANSA news agency reported that article also issued threats against forces led by the United States in a bombing campaign in Iraq and Syria.
ISIS has previously suggested that the fight is about religion and western forces are attacking the Islamic faith rather than the militants.
The article also urged faithful Muslims to attack and kill “every Crusader possible” and added that “it is lawful to kidnap the women of the infidels and use them as sex slaves”.
Last month, security officials said that they had stepped up security at the Vatican following threats by ISIS, which wants to establish an Islamic caliphate.