In what might be the strangest news you see this week, Pope Francis announced via Twitter that he was going to be embarking on a new journey. Though it may not be the most traditional papal adventure (I'm not even quite sure I could tell you what that would be), Pope Francis decided to take his social media game to the next level -- Instagram. If it wasn't already great, the fact that the Pope decided to use another social platform to announce his arrival on Instagram adds an extra layer of entertainment.
I'm not sure what Pope Francis expects to find out there on Instagram, but I can tell you from personal experience that there isn't much in the way of "the path of mercy" happening. Take one look at a Kardashian's comment section on their Instagram and you can see for yourself that there is much more ruthlessness than peace and tenderness going on on Instagram.
Regardless, this move makes Pope Francis the first person in his position to make an Instagram account, which counts for something. The handle, @Franciscus, differs from his Twitter handle @Pontifex, so those searching for our good friend Pope Francis should keep that in mind.
He already has a verified Instagram account, and yes I am still envious of the blue check mark next to his name. The bio section sounds similar to the message from his tweet, stating "I want to walk with you along the way of God's mercy and tenderness."
At the time of this article, the Pope's Instagram was gaining thousands of followers a minute, and his two posts are extremely well-liked by his new groupies. I am predicting that in the next 24 hours, Pope Francis will reach over one million Instagram followers based on current numbers. With posts like these, how could you resist? He's almost too cute to handle.
Though some may wonder why the Pope would need social media to get in touch with Catholics around the world, there are definitely some advantages to his high social media presence. With the Catholic Church in a huge state of transition and evolution in today's modern society, I think utilizing this form of technology to keep the message out there is a great way for the church to keep ties with its members around the world. At the same time, Pope Francis has been notorious for breaking some of the heavy rules the Catholic Church may have formally or informally set over the years. And he is a refreshing change of pace for people around the world.
Whether or not you are Catholic, checking out Pope Francis' Instagram should definitely be on your to-do list this week. I can't wait to see if there are any killer #tbt pictures up his sleeve.
