(ANSA) - Rome, December 17 - The December issue of historic US-based LGBT magazine The Advocate has named Pope Francis ''person of the year''. The magazine ran a close-up of the smiling pope on the cover with a quote that says ''If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?''. ''Pope Francis is the leader of 1.2 billion Roman Catholics all over the world. Like it or not, what he says makes a difference'', the magazine said in its editorial justifying the decision. ''Pope Francis' stark change in rhetoric from his two predecessors - both whom were at one time or another among The Advocate's annual Phobie Awards - makes what he's done in 2013 all the more daring''. Founded in 1967, The Advocate is the oldest and largest LGBT publication in the US.
Gay magazine The Advocate names pope 'person of the year'
Francis 'stark change' from predecessors, says publication
![(foto: ANSA)](/webimages/img_457x/2013/11/9/002c1f36666f0f2ec13397ddcbee9c22.jpg)