After more than a week of buzz and anticipation, Pope Benedict XVI tweeted for the first time this morning. The 85-year-old pontiff’s first tweet was in English. It was sent from a tablet device and racked up over 24,000 retweets in under two hours.
How can we celebrate the Year of Faith better in our daily lives?
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
By speaking with Jesus in prayer, listening to what he tells you in the Gospel and looking for him in those in need
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
The pope offered a prayer before sending his first tweet.
.@pontifex begins with a prayer … #tweetingwhilepraying
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) December 12, 2012
Here’s a pic of @pontifex Tweeting: twitter.com/finansakrobat/…
— financial acrobat (@finansakrobat) December 12, 2012
@pontifex sending first tweet twitter.com/LisaHendey/sta…
— Lisa Hendey (@LisaHendey) December 12, 2012
There we are … @pontifex #livefromrome twitter.com/kathrynlopez/s…
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) December 12, 2012
Another look at @pontifex first tweet shows the help he had twitter.com/LisaHendey/sta…
— Lisa Hendey (@LisaHendey) December 12, 2012
Pope Benedict’s (@pontifex) first [English] tweet definitely close to record for retweets…within minutes nearly 2500 retweets
— benwedeman (@bencnn) December 12, 2012
After 30 minutes @pontifex‘s first tweet clocks just under 13,000 Retweets. Most celebrities, newspapers would die for such media impact.
— Social Media LF (@SocialMediaLF) December 12, 2012
More than 24K retweets already for Pope Benedict XVI’s first tweet @pontifex
— Ross Weidner (@RossWeidner) December 12, 2012
While the pope’s first tweet was in English, he quickly followed up with tweets from his other accounts.
Queridos amigos, me uno a vosotros con alegría por medio de Twitter. Gracias por vuestra respuesta generosa. Os bendigo a todos de corazón.
— Benedicto XVI (@Pontifex_es) December 12, 2012
Cari amici, è con gioia che mi unisco a voi via twitter. Grazie per la vostra generosa risposta. Vi benedico tutti di cuore.
— Benedetto XVI (@Pontifex_it) December 12, 2012
Chers amis, c’est avec joie que je m’unis à vous par twitter. Merci pour votre réponse généreuse. Je vous bénis tous de grand cœur.
— Benoît XVI (@Pontifex_fr) December 12, 2012
Drodzy Przyjaciele, z radością łączę się z wami przez twitter. Dziękuję za wasze liczne odpowiedzi. Z serca wam błogosławię.
— Benedykt XVI (@Pontifex_pl) December 12, 2012
الأصدقاء الأعزاء، بفرح أنضم لكم عبر تويتر. كل الشكر لاستجابتكم الكريمة. وبكل القلب أبارككم.
— بندكتس السادس عشر (@Pontifex_ar) December 12, 2012
Liebe Freunde! Gerne verbinde ich mich mit euch über Twitter. Danke für die netten Antworten. Von Herzen segne ich euch.
— Benedikt XVI (@Pontifex_de) December 12, 2012
Queridos amigos, é com alegria que entro em contacto convosco via twitter. Obrigado pela resposta generosa. De coração vos abençoo a todos.
— Bento XVI (@Pontifex_pt) December 12, 2012
And predictably, the death wishes and hate weren’t far behind. The pope offered blessings to all and these are just some of the disgusting tweets he received in response.
DIE!!! @pontifex
— Pawl (@PabloAragunde) December 12, 2012
You will burn underground @pontifex
— Murat Çakır (@CakirMurat_) December 12, 2012
Die @pontifex
— Cocksucker Jones (@iCumBl00d) December 12, 2012
@pontifex Fuck yo couch, you dickhead in the stupid hat
— James Tickner (@TicknerJ) December 12, 2012
@pontifex do you fuck kids?
— Alex Mathieson (@MathiesonAlex) December 12, 2012
@pontifex Why don’t you go to fuck your fracking mother’s corpse and let the children alone?
— Lady Magikarp (@Magikarp_Inutil) December 12, 2012
@pontifex Fuck you. Cunt.
— AnonDeath420 (@ExpectLulz) December 12, 2012
@pontifex Piss off you paedo cunt!
— David Chambers (@stellasbelly) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/biodingo/status/278827649193889792
— Julieta Vazquez (@shokoshika) December 12, 2012
@pontifex fuck you nigga biatch
— Take Another Shot (@ZazoBucketHead) December 12, 2012
@pontifex fuck off u dirty kiddy fiddling nonce cunt
— jonpaulbussey (@buzzy001) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/CAXXIMIEI/status/278831653235879936
@pontifex. Mr Pope I have several underage boys with me right now and was wondering if you were interested ???
— Patrick Kidney (@PatrickKidney2) December 12, 2012
.@pontifex Fuck you. I’ll rape your fucking dog.
— Reverend Ol’ Darcy(@RevOlDarcyMD) December 12, 2012
.@pontifexbless my dick in your mouth, bitch
— Bardley Lombardo (@BardleyFarts) December 12, 2012
Disgraceful. It seems these are the people most in need of the pope’s blessings.
Update:
The pope’s first tweet now has over 28,000 retweets.
28,000 retweets and counting #Pontifex twitter.com/Pontifex/statu…
— Jess @YouSaySocial (@YouSaySocial) December 12, 2012
And the hate continues with repulsive fake retweets.
RT @pontifex: Dear little boys, I am pleased to get to touch you through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response.
— Lars (@Larzuy) December 12, 2012
RT @pontifex: Sexy pre-teen boys
— Tim Lake (@3shirts) December 12, 2012
Think the pope left his twitter logged in … RT @pontifex: I love jewish cock!
— terrysaunders (@terrysaunders) December 12, 2012
RT @pontifex: Fuck bitches.
— Siss (@szzrd) December 12, 2012
RT “@pontifex: Dear friends, I can touch your kids through Twitter. Thank you for your generous response. I bless you all from my Holy Dick”
— STD FREE! (mostly) (@A_Bit_2_Rude) December 12, 2012
Update:
The man has amazing social media reach: 31,000 retweets and counting.
Benedict XVI@pontifex has more followers than John Hyde! 751K followers + 31.2K retweets of last message -not Christmas yet!
— Michelle Roberts (@MichelleMidland) December 12, 2012
The haters might scoff at the pope’s blessing, but what wouldn’t they give for a retweet?
I know most everyone says RTs don’t mean endorsement, but man, that rule is going to bend if the Pope retweets you.
— John Hayward (@Doc_0) December 12, 2012
Update:
At 9:00 a.m. ET, the pope sent additional English-language tweets.
How can faith in Jesus be lived in a world without hope?
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
We can be certain that a believer is never alone. God is the solid rock upon which we build our lives and his love is always faithful
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
And at 10:15 a.m., the first papal tweet has blown past 38,000 retweets.
Wow! 38.500 RTs for writing “I bless you all” bit.ly/Xakwd6 Why did it take the Vatican so long to get here?
— Fabio Reinhardt (@Enigma424) December 12, 2012
Update:
It’s not even noon on the East Coast and the pope’s first tweet has been retweeted more than 41,000 times.
@pontifex first ever tweet got 41,694 retweets and 13,808 favorites. WHAT IS WOW! 🙂
— Nadine Evangelista (@nadineheartsyou) December 12, 2012
Update:
The pope solicits your suggestions on how to be more prayerful. Based on earlier response, this should ratchet up the disgusting hate to previously unseen levels.
Any suggestions on how to be more prayerful when we are so busy with the demands of work, families and the world?
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
Offer everything you do to the Lord, ask his help in all the circumstances of daily life and remember that he is always beside you
— Benedict XVI (@Pontifex) December 12, 2012
Update:
A day truly marked in history – 10 hours, +48,000 RTs already. I wonder how that would look on a resume ..”managed the @pontifex handle…”
— Massive Media (@_MassiveMedia) December 12, 2012
