Pope Francis has tweeted for the first time, using the account @Pontifex, which was initially used by Pope Benedict XVI.

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Though the Vatican has become increasingly savvy with more modern forms of communication, it's still sticking with more primitive methods -- swirling smoke and tolling bells -- to announce whether a new pope has been elected.

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The Vatican has dispelled claims that Pope Benedict XVI's “Pontifex” Twitter account will be shut down permanently, clarifying that it “will be available for use by the next Pope as he may wish.” Monsignor Paul Tighe, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, said Feb. 23 the Twitter account was created for the Pope’s “exclusive use.”

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On Wednesday 27 February 2013, Benedict XVI will deliver his last General Audience as Pope! Xt3.com will be webcasting the audience LIVE, with thanks to the Vatican's official Year of Faith website, at www.xt3.com/farewelltopope

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In response to numerous queries as to whether the Holy Father's twitter account will be permanently shut down following his resignation, Msgr. Paul Tighe, secretary of the Pontifical Council for Social Communications issued the following statement:

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Vatican officials released a pair of unusual statements Saturday condemning some press coverage of the papal transition. A communiqué from the Secretariat of State called “deplorable” the “widespread distribution of often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories” intended to exert “pressures on the election of the pope.”

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In the midst of incorrect reports and false theories about the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, the director of the Holy See Press Office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, has made an appeal for accurate reporting on this historic moment in the Church.

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The Knights of Columbus have invited the faithful to participate in a Twitter initiative to pledge their prayers for Pope Benedict XVI and his successor during the upcoming period of transition.

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The resignation of Pope Benedict XVI took the international media by surprise, and has led to considerable comment, some of it ill-informed and much of it ideologically driven. Let's start with the invincible ignorance. As anyone who has an awareness of Christian theology understands, the doctrine of papal infallibility does not mean that the Pope is always right, still less divine - as some media outlets have reported.

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Last week’s extraordinary announcement of Pope Benedict XVI's resignation was the top news story around the world this past week. An interesting feature of many of the commentaries was how they revealed the pre-conceived ideas of those who wrote them.

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