Send Christmas greetings to the Pope online

VATICAN CITY — Web surfers can now send online Christmas greetings to Pope Benedict XVI.

The faithful can also choose to include a photograph in their e-mail before sending it through the Pope2You portal, which is run by the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Social Communications.

A message set up this week on the portal says the wishes will be gathered for the Pope and shared with the site’s users.

The website launched in May offers an application for iPhone and iPod Touch that gives surfers news on the Pope’s trips and speeches.

It also features a Facebook application that allows users to send postcards with photos of Benedict and excerpts from his messages to their friends. — AP