Retired Pope Says Goodbye on Twitter

Pope Benedict XVI left Vatican City Thursday for the last time as leader of the billion-member Roman Catholic Church. Photo by EPA/BGNES

The Vatican has deleted all the tweets of Benedict XVI from its official Twitter account, @pontifex, 12-hours after the Pope resigned.

In his last tweet, dated February 28, Benedict XVI said: "Thank you for your love and support. May you always experience the joy that comes from putting Christ at the center of your lives."

Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, confirmed that the papal account will be inactive until a new Pope is chosen.

The number of Twitter followers of Pope Benedict XVI surpassed three million just before his resignation took effect, according to a Vatican Radio report.

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