Benedict XVI, 84, has become the first pope to join the Twitter generation after sending his first message using an iPad.
The pontiff was videoed tweeting on the iPad and later uploaded the video footage on YouTube.
His appearance on social media was timed to coincide with the launch of an new online portal for all things Vatican related.
The portal, which will collate information from the Vatican's various print, online, radio and television media into a single destination, will its most extensive online venture.
It will be capable of live-streaming papal events, audio feeds from Vatican Radio, photographs from L'Osservatore Romano and printed texts including papal homilies, statements and speeches, according to the Huffington Post.
Pope Benedict's first tweet read: 'Dear friends, I just launched [the website]. Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI.'
The move is the latest attempt by the Vatican to spread its message to the internet audience and follows dabbling in Facebook and YouTube.
Thaddeus Jones, project coordinator and an official with the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, told The Guardian: 'He was clearly in awe at the new technology.
'It's a lighter moment but also an important one, it marks a new way of communicating.'
Today is the 60th anniversary of Benedict's ordination as a priest.
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