Time – Person of the Year

The Pope is chosen as Time’s Person of the Year for 2013. Other candidates for this year’s award are NSA leaker Edward Snowden, gay rights activist Edith Windsor, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Syrian President Bashar Assad. Managing editor Nancy Gibbs explains the choice

He really stood out to us as someone who has changed the tone and the perception and the focus of one of the world’s largest institutions in an extraordinary way.

Vatican spokesman Rev. Federico Lombardi says:

The Holy Father is not looking to become famous or to receive honor. But if the choice of Person of Year helps spread the message of the Gospel — a message of God’s love for everyone — he will certainly be happy about that.