(Image source from: Pope Francis is TIME's 2013 Person of the Year})

Pope Francis has been named Time magazine's Person of the Year on Wednesday. The head of the Catholic church has been in office for nine months only and has become a voice of conscience. He has provided a balance between judgment with mercy.

Nancy Gibbs, managing editor of Time magazine, said that Pope Francis is TIME's 2013 Person of the Year for bringing the papacy into the streets from the Vatican palace. He has taken initiative to dig into the deepest issues that requires a rethink- about marriage, role of women, wealth and poverty, modernity, globalization, temptations of power, fairness and justice and transparency. NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden has been named runner-up for the Times's accolade.

(Picture Source: 3.bp.blogspot.com)

(AW: Pratima Tigga)