Pope launches site with tweet

VATICAN CITY (CNS) –

Pope Benedict XVI inaugurated the Vatican’s online news portal with a click, and then announced the launch with the first-ever papal tweet.

“Dear Friends, I just launched News.va. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI,” the pope said in his message on the news site’s Twitter account. The pope was flanked by Vatican communications officials June 28 as he tapped an iPad and officially launched www.news.va, which aggregates news content from the Vatican’s newspaper, radio, television and online outlets. Within 24 hours the site registered more than a quarter of a million clicks from more than 200 countries. The pontiff was then given a brief tour of the portal’s features. The launch came on the eve of the feast of Sts. Peter and Paul and the 60th anniversary of Pope Benedict’s ordination into the priesthood.