Vatican says pope received more than 4,000 Christmas e-mail greetings

Published: 2003-12-30

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Until the Jan. 6 feast of the Epiphany, the Vatican will keep Pope John Paul II's e-mail addresses operational for people wanting to send him Christmas greetings. As of noon in Rome Dec. 30, Pope John Paul had received 4,273 Christmas e-mails sent to one of his six addresses -- versions of his name in the six official languages of the Vatican Web site, said U.S. Sister Judith Zoebelein, director of the Vatican's Internet office. Almost half the e-mails -- 2,068 messages -- were sent to the English address: john_paul_ii@vatican.va. Spanish e-mailers were in second place, sending 1,274 messages to: juan_pablo_ii@vatican.va. The address also exists in Italian, German, French and Portuguese. Sister Zoebelein, a Franciscan Sister of the Eucharist, said the address was activated Dec. 22 with little fanfare; a link is provided on the Christmas page of the Vatican Web site.

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