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.
http://twitter.com/Pontifex/statuses/278819486377840640
https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/278820239943274497
The pope offered a prayer before sending his first tweet.
.@Pontifex begins with a prayer … #tweetingwhilepraying
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/finansakrobat/status/278815579966672899
@Pontifex sending first tweet pic.twitter.com/qdTcNVJ1
— Lisa Hendey (@LisaHendey) December 12, 2012
There we are … @Pontifex #livefromrome pic.twitter.com/iF4n4Lo2
— Kathryn Jean Lopez (@kathrynlopez) December 12, 2012
Another look at @Pontifex first tweet shows the help he had pic.twitter.com/V3vfoJoR
— 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.
— DLF (@DLFmembers) 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.
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_es/status/278809804443615232
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_it/status/278810174389637120
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_fr/status/278810174406414336
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_pl/status/278810174444150784
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_ar/status/278810307789484032
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_de/status/278810362801967104
https://twitter.com/Pontifex_pt/status/278810428803526656
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.
https://twitter.com/PabloAragunde/status/278809968348651520
You will burn underground @Pontifex
— Murti (@CakirMurat_) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/iCumBl00d/status/278809231250055168
https://twitter.com/TicknerJ/status/278832874604617728
https://twitter.com/MathiesonAlex/status/278828344890507264
@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
https://twitter.com/ExpectLulz/status/278819953975640064
https://twitter.com/stellasbelly/status/278818044749422592
https://twitter.com/biodingo/status/278827649193889792
— Kletz (@shokoshika) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/ZazoBucketHead/status/278817431026274304
@Pontifex fuck off u dirty kiddy fiddling nonce cunt
— jonpaulbussey (@buzzy001) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/CAXXIMIEI/status/278831653235879936
https://twitter.com/PatrickKidney2/status/278832856397123585
.@Pontifex Fuck you. I'll rape your fucking dog.
— Reverend Ol' Darcy (@RevOlDarcyMD) December 12, 2012
https://twitter.com/BardleyFarts/status/278835321389588480
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 https://t.co/iBZNWZ3F
— @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.
— Larzuy (@Larzuy) December 12, 2012
RT @Pontifex: Sexy pre-teen boys
— Suddenly Tim (@SuddenlyTim) 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
https://twitter.com/A_Bit_2_Rude/status/278815060116258816
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 MP (@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.
http://twitter.com/Pontifex/statuses/278861784008499201
http://twitter.com/Pontifex/statuses/278862015253061633
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" http://t.co/NOWi3D69 Why did it take the Vatican so long to get here?
— Fabio ? Zu Hause bleiben ? Maske auf? (@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! 🙂
— Kaye ? (@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.
https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/278907093065535488
https://twitter.com/Pontifex/status/278907314810023938
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 (@EngageMassive) December 12, 2012
Join the conversation as a VIP Member