Pope named Time Person of the Year

December 11, 2013

Time magazine has named Pope Francis its “Person of the Year.”

“Rarely has a new player on the world stage captured so much attention so quickly—young and old, faithful and cynical—as has Pope Francis,” Time explained in announcing the award.

Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, said that the award was “unsurprising, considering the resonance and very widespread attention given to the election of Pope Francis and the beginning of his pontificate.” Still he said that it was “a positive sign” that an influential media outlet had selected a religious leader. The Vatican spokesman said that Pope Francis is not anxious for public acclaim, but insofar as the Time shows that his message is being heard, “he will certainly be glad.”

Time selected Pope Francis from a final slate of candidates that included Edward Snowden, who exposed the extent of US intelligence operations; Senator Ted Cruz; Syrian dictator Bashar Assad; gay-rights crusader Edith Windsor; and pop entertainer Miley Cyrus. In previous years the magazine has chosen President Barack Obama (2008 and 2012), Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke (2009), and Russian President Vladimir Putin (2007).

 

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Further information:

• Pope Francis, The Choice (Time)
• Pope Francis, The People’s Pope (Time)
• Pope Francis Selected as Person of the Year by Time magazine (VIS)