The Pope makes Net debut

NEWS The Pope is to make his Internet debut this Saturday. The Vatican said the head of the Catholic Church will appear live, via a streamed RealPlayer Webcast, as he leads a celebration for the Feast of the Assumption. The Pontiff's appearance will be recorded by Vatican Television and Vatican Radio, and will be streamed using the RealNetworks software. It will also be archived on the Vatican's 'Octava Dies' weekly magazine. In the past, the Pope has expressed an interest in the Catholic Church using technology to reach the masses. The Vatican called the latest developments "another sign of the Vatican's effort to promote its image in the world of modern social communication". The Vatican Web site can be found at www.vatican.va.