The Vatican has reportedly banned cardinals from using Twitter during the conclave, which will name a successor to Benedict XVI.
During the conclave – the series of meetings which take place in the Sistine Chapel during which a new Pope is elected - cardinals are barred from communication from the outside world under strict rules.
However, this is the first time that a rule has been made regarding the use of social media, presumably as a result of the Pope’s high profile Twitter account which was set up last year.
Those stepping away from Twitter will include Milan Archbishop Cardinal Angelo Scola, who has about 17,000 followers – considerably less than the Pope’s 1.5 million.
Similarly, American Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York who has 81,000 followers, will be taking a Twitter break.