The Pope Meets You on Facebook app allows people to send and receive 'virtual postcards' of Pope Benedict XVI along with inspiring text from his various speeches and messages.
Users will also be able to receive news and audio reports about the Vatican and the Pope's activities through the iPhone or iPod touch, with video and audio reports in eight different languages.
The apps have been developed as part of a new Vatican website, www.pope2you.net, which will launch to mark the Catholic Church's World Communications day later this week.
Earlier this year, The Vatican created a dedicated YouTube channel, which hosts video clips of the pope, and the iBreviary iPhone app, which gives users access to the Church liturgy.
"The Pope is inviting us to promote a culture of dialogue, of respect and friendship, especially among young people," said Archbishop Claudio Celli, head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Social Communications."
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