While some of the comments were harsh and even obscene, negative comments accounted for about eight per cent of the total, according to the magazine Popoli and the media firm Oogo. They published the results of their "sentiment analysis" of tweeted reactions to Pope Benedict Jan. 28.

According to the study, more than 200,000 — about 82 per cent — of the responses were simply retweets or "neutral" comments on what the Pope tweeted, in 140 or fewer characters, Dec. 12-Jan. 15 through his @Pontifex accounts.

Nearly 10 per cent of the tweeted reactions were positive, the study found.

The magazine reported 26,426 "positive" tweets, which the study divided into categories, such as:

-- 26.5 per cent of the positive tweets were retweets of the Pope's message with a brief comment, or cited the Pope's words.
-- 25 per cent thanked the Pope or wished him well.
-- 15.6 per cent were prayers, particularly after the Pope mentioned suffering in Nigeria and Syria.
-- 12 per cent were "welcome to Twitter" or other comments on the Pope joining the social network.
-- 7.6 per cent asked the Pope questions about meaning and life.
-- seven per cent were comments defending the Pope.

Popoli and Oogo defined 22,542 tweets as "negative" and divided them into categories:

-- 26 per cent mentioned pedophilia or the clerical sex abuse scandal.
-- 25 per cent were "direct insults."
-- 20 per cent were criticisms of the perceived power or wealth of the Vatican.
-- 16 per cent were ironic or satiric.
-- 8.5 per cent mentioned gay marriage.
-- 2.5 per cent directly criticized the faith.

Stefano Femminis, the director of Popoli, told Vatican Radio Jan. 29 that Pope Benedict has said the Church must be where people are, including in social networks.

"People are there," Femminis said. "They are there with their problems, their questions and also their criticisms. And it's important for the Church to be there and to dialogue with those who are furthest from it or most critical of it."