Pope Francis nearly triples Vatican City crowds in 2013

Pope Francis drew more than 6.6 million people to his audiences, Masses and other events in Vatican City during his first year in office, figures show.

The statistics cover the period from the Argentinean's election in March to the end of 2013, the Vatican said.

His predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI, attracted just 2.3 million people for the whole of 2012.