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A New Magazine for Fans of the Vatican’s Biggest Star A New Magazine for Fans of the Vatican’s Biggest Star
(6 months later)
ROME — Just a few days short of the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ election, there is fresh evidence that his honeymoon with the public persists: He is getting his own magazine. ROME — Just a few days short of the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ election, there is fresh evidence that his honeymoon with the public persists: He is getting his own magazine.
The 68-page Il Mio Papa (My Pope) will hit Italian newsstands on Ash Wednesday, offering a glossy medley of papal pronouncements and photographs, along with peeks into his personal life. Each weekly issue will also include a pullout centerfold of the pope, accompanied by a quote.The 68-page Il Mio Papa (My Pope) will hit Italian newsstands on Ash Wednesday, offering a glossy medley of papal pronouncements and photographs, along with peeks into his personal life. Each weekly issue will also include a pullout centerfold of the pope, accompanied by a quote.
“It’s a sort of fanzine, but of course it can’t be like something you’d do for One Direction,” the popular boy band, said the magazine’s editor, Aldo Vitali. “We aim to be more respectful, more noble.”“It’s a sort of fanzine, but of course it can’t be like something you’d do for One Direction,” the popular boy band, said the magazine’s editor, Aldo Vitali. “We aim to be more respectful, more noble.”
The magazine also hopes to transmit the down-to-earth, no-nonsense advice that Francis offers during his weekly encounters with the faithful in St Peter’s Square and elsewhere.The magazine also hopes to transmit the down-to-earth, no-nonsense advice that Francis offers during his weekly encounters with the faithful in St Peter’s Square and elsewhere.
“That’s why we called it My Pope, because everyone has the sensation that Francis speaks to them individually,” said Mr. Vitali, who is also the editor of Italy’s No. 1 weekly magazine, TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, a cross between TV Guide and People.“That’s why we called it My Pope, because everyone has the sensation that Francis speaks to them individually,” said Mr. Vitali, who is also the editor of Italy’s No. 1 weekly magazine, TV Sorrisi e Canzoni, a cross between TV Guide and People.
The magazine is a change of pace for the Mondadori publishing house, part of the media empire of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which publishes the popular celebrity gossip weekly Chi.The magazine is a change of pace for the Mondadori publishing house, part of the media empire of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, which publishes the popular celebrity gossip weekly Chi.
Mr. Vitali said My Pope would not be sensationalistic. “We don’t want gossip or paparazzi,” he said. “We’re not going to go after any scoops.”Mr. Vitali said My Pope would not be sensationalistic. “We don’t want gossip or paparazzi,” he said. “We’re not going to go after any scoops.”
Until now, only L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s daily newspaper, regularly covered the pope, publishing many of his speeches. And while Catholic periodicals and newspapers abound in Italy, My Pope “is an interesting phenomenon because it doesn’t come from the Catholic world,” said L’Osservatore Romano’s editor in chief, Giovanni Maria Vian.Until now, only L’Osservatore Romano, the Vatican’s daily newspaper, regularly covered the pope, publishing many of his speeches. And while Catholic periodicals and newspapers abound in Italy, My Pope “is an interesting phenomenon because it doesn’t come from the Catholic world,” said L’Osservatore Romano’s editor in chief, Giovanni Maria Vian.
“Certainly, we have to see how the magazine develops,” he added after leafing through an advance copy. “My first impression is that it is targeting a broad public that doesn’t have time or the desire to delve very deeply, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be positive.”“Certainly, we have to see how the magazine develops,” he added after leafing through an advance copy. “My first impression is that it is targeting a broad public that doesn’t have time or the desire to delve very deeply, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be positive.”
In a telephone interview, Mr. Vitali said that while Francis’ appeal had transcended Roman Catholicism to encompass believers from other denominations as well as nonbelievers, the magazine’s intention was not to “speculate on the popularity of the pope,” merely to act as his megaphone.In a telephone interview, Mr. Vitali said that while Francis’ appeal had transcended Roman Catholicism to encompass believers from other denominations as well as nonbelievers, the magazine’s intention was not to “speculate on the popularity of the pope,” merely to act as his megaphone.
“It’s not a cult of personality — we want to use the pope as an example” for living a better life, he said.“It’s not a cult of personality — we want to use the pope as an example” for living a better life, he said.
Mr. Vitali is aware that he has entered uncharted waters, and he is betting on success with an initial print run of 500,000 copies at an initial price of 50 cents. But in seeking to transmit the pope’s musings on the divine, Mr. Vitali seems to have neglected some terrestrial fine print regarding Vatican copyrights.Mr. Vitali is aware that he has entered uncharted waters, and he is betting on success with an initial print run of 500,000 copies at an initial price of 50 cents. But in seeking to transmit the pope’s musings on the divine, Mr. Vitali seems to have neglected some terrestrial fine print regarding Vatican copyrights.
In 2009, during the tenure of Pope Benedict XVI, the Holy See declared that it alone had the right “to protect the figure and personal identity of the pope from the unauthorized use of his name and/or the papal coat of arms for ends and activities which have little or nothing to do with the Catholic Church.” And just last week, the Vatican issued a statement reiterating that the Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican publishing house, owns the copyright to all the writings of the pope.In 2009, during the tenure of Pope Benedict XVI, the Holy See declared that it alone had the right “to protect the figure and personal identity of the pope from the unauthorized use of his name and/or the papal coat of arms for ends and activities which have little or nothing to do with the Catholic Church.” And just last week, the Vatican issued a statement reiterating that the Libreria Editrice Vaticana, the Vatican publishing house, owns the copyright to all the writings of the pope.
“Various magazines publish the pope’s teachings, but they have an accord with us,” said the Rev. Giuseppe Costa, the director of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana. A similar accord has not been signed with My Pope, he added, though the magazine should have known better “because we have a relationship with Mondadori.”“Various magazines publish the pope’s teachings, but they have an accord with us,” said the Rev. Giuseppe Costa, the director of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana. A similar accord has not been signed with My Pope, he added, though the magazine should have known better “because we have a relationship with Mondadori.”
“In the case they publish the pope’s words, I will have to intervene,” Father Costa said.“In the case they publish the pope’s words, I will have to intervene,” Father Costa said.