Pope’s Instagram account gains 1.5M followers
March 21, 2016
Pope Francis launched an Instagram account on March 19 and swiftly gained 1.5 million followers.
The account is managed by the Vatican’s Secretariat for Communications.
“Instagram will help recount the Papacy through images, to enable all those who wish to accompany and know more about Pope Francis’ pontificate to encounter his gestures of tenderness and mercy”, said Msgr. Dario E. Viganò, prefect of the Secretariat. “We will choose photographs from the photographic service of L’Osservatore Romano, selecting certain details.”
Kevin Systrom, CEO of the online photo-sharing service, was present at the Vatican for the launching of the account and said that “watching Pope Francis post his first photo to Instagram today was an incredible moment. @franciscus, welcome to the Instagram community! Your messages of humility, compassion and mercy will leave a lasting mark.”
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Further information:
- Account Instagram di Papa Francesco, 18.03.2016 (Holy See Press Office)
- franciscus (Instagram)
- Pope Francis gains 1 million Instagram followers in under 12 hours (CNN Money)
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