(Pope Benedict XVI’s twitter account is pictured on a smart phone in front of the Twitter logo displayed on a laptop in this photo illustration taken in Rome December 3, 2012. Benedict’s new handle on Twitter will be @pontifex, beating out other contenders that had been considered to showcase the thoughts of one of the world’s most visible leaders. The Vatican said on Monday that the pope will start tweeting on December 12. REUTERS/Max Rossi )
Even though he hasn’t sent a single tweet yet, Pope Benedict had more than half a million Twitter followers in eight languages on Tuesday, the day after the Vatican unveiled his handle: @Pontifex.
They included people ranging from the simple Roman Catholic faithful to a Jewish head of state.
“Your holiness, welcome to Twitter. Our relations with the Vatican are at their best & can form a basis to further peace everywhere,” tweeted Israeli President Shimon Peres, who at 89 is four years older than Benedict.
The Vatican said on Monday that Benedict will start tweeting on mostly spiritual topics from December 12.
