(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.