In its latest attempt to connect with believers via social media, the Vatican has said people who follow messages about an upcoming event shared by the Pope on Twitter can receive ‘indulgences’, which will reduce the amount of time Catholics believe they will have to spend in purgatory.
The Vatican has been careful to stress that it’s not offering absolution from sins on Twitter — just bringing the long-standing practice of indulgences to social media. Twitter followers would still have to confess and be absolved of their sins the old-fashioned way.
According to The Guardian, indulgences will be given to those which attend Catholic World Youth Day in Brazil next week, as well as those who can’t physically attend but follow the event live on TV, radio and Twitter. Archbishop Claudio Maria Celli, head of the pontifical council for social communication, told Italian publication Corriere della Sera that Catholics shouldn’t expect to use Twitter as a quick fix. “Get it out of your heads straight away that this is in any way mechanical, that you just need to click on the internet in a few days’ time to get a plenary indulgence,” he is quoted as saying. “You can’t obtain indulgences like getting a coffee from a vending machine.”
http://memeburn.com/2013/07/vatican-offers-less-time-in-purgatory-for-believers-who-follow-the-popes-tweets/
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