Modern, IT-savvy pontiff

POPE John Paul II will be remembered as a great communicator not only for his language skills, but also for his use of modern technologies to reach his followers.

John Paul, who used the Vatican’s official website, which launched in 1995, to publish his sermons and speeches, is credited with bringing the Vatican into the information age.

In a speech on World Communications Day in 2002, John Paul said: “For the Church, the new world of cyberspace is a summons to the great adventure of using its potential to proclaim the Gospel message.”

After the Pope’s death, the Vatican did not disappoint. Word the Pope had died was first reportedvia SMS message from the Vatican to journalists. An email was then sent as follow-up information.

The Pope had his own email account, and supporters were encouraged to email messages of comfort to him in his last weeks.

Text messaging had also become an instrumental tool for the Pope to get his message out. In 2004, the Vatican brokered a deal with Verizon to deliver daily papal SMS messages to subscribers.

The Civil Protection in Rome followed suit and used text messages to provide information to Italians in the days following the Pope’s death. Many of the pilgrims who did reach the basilica used mobile phone cameras to capture final images of John Paul.

Some 27 screens were installed around Rome for pilgrims to watch the event as it was beamed live. And internet users were also able to watch the funeral online as it was streamed live on many sites.