The papal Twitter accounts, in nine different languages (including Latin), have grown by over 9 million followers in the past 12 months–a significant figure that the Pope, like his predecessor, attributes to the presence of Christian witnesses on the “digital continent” and above all on social media.
According to a recent press release from the Vatican Secretariat for Communications, such an enormous interest in the papal tweets indicates that Christians, non-Christians, political leaders and ordinary people alike are all very interested in what the Holy Father has to say.
The accounts are a way for Pope Francis to personally connect with people around the world. In fact, the press release continues, “every day, through his tweets, Pope Francis makes himself available to men and women through social media, at times offering a spiritual thought, other times sharing with his followers a reflection on events of great significance for the international community.”