Pope Francis Named TIME Magazine ''Person of the Year'' 2013 Wednesday Dec 11,2013

TIME Magazine Named Pope Francis as its ''Person of the Year''2013 on Wednesday Dec 11,2013, crediting him with shifting the message of the Catholic Church while capturing the "imaginations of millions" who had become disillusioned with the Vatican.

"So much of what he has done in his brief nine months in office has really changed the tone of what is coming out of the Vatican," Time editor Nancy Gibbs said in announcing the choice on NBC television's "Today" program. "He is saying, 'We are about the healing mission of the church, and not about the theological police work'."

The Pope beat out former U.S. National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden and gay rights activist Edith Windsor for the award. Other finalists included Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and U.S. Senator Ted Cruz from Texas