Who says older folks aren't into the new social media?

Pope Benedict XVI, 84, used an iPad to send his first Twitter message on Tuesday.

"Dear Friends, I just launched News.va Praised be our Lord Jesus Christ! With my prayers and blessings, Benedictus XVI," the pontiff tweeted.

The portal http://www.news.va for the first time collects information from the Vatican's various print, online, radio and television media. It's the latest effort by the Vatican to bring its evangelizing message to a greater, Internet-savvy audience and follows forays into Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

"Benedict put the site online himself by tapping an iPad," said Thaddeus Jones, project coordinator and an official with the Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

Jones described him as "interested and impressed" and "clearly enjoying it."

"He was clearly in awe at the new technology," Jones said. "It's a lighter moment but also an important one. It marks a new way of communicating."

The Vatican's portal was launched for the feast day of St. Peter and Paul, which falls on June 29 but officially begins with a vesper service June 28. Wednesday also marks the 60th anniversary of Benedict's ordination as a priest.