Pope hits 1M mark as he tweets: ‘Dear Friends… ‘

By Nicole Winfield

Published December 12, 2012 3:50pm ET

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Pope hits 1M mark as he tweets: ‘Dear Friends… ‘ — A screen grab of Pope Benedict XVI Twitter page. Pope Benedict XVI hit the 1 million Twitter follower mark on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2012 he sent his first tweet from his new account, blessing his online fans and urging them to listen to Christ. In perhaps the most drawn out Twitter launch ever, the 85-year-old Benedict pushed the button on a tablet brought to him at the end of his general audience after the equivalent of a papal drum roll by an announcer who intoned: "And now the pope will tweet!". "Dear friends, I am pleased to get in touch with you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless all of you from my heart," the inaugural tweet read. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia) | Gregorio Borgia

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Benedict XVI hit the 1 million Twitter follower mark on Wednesday as he sent his first tweet from his new account, blessing his online fans and urging them to listen to Christ.

In perhaps the most drawn out Twitter launch ever, the 85-year-old Benedict tapped the screen of a tablet brought to him at the end of his general audience after the equivalent of a papal drum roll by an announcer who intoned: “And now the pope will tweet!”

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