Pope Francis drew 6.6 million to Vatican in 2013

Lizzie O’Leary at Palm Sunday Mass, 2013.

Our final note on the show today is about a CEO, of sorts, who had a banner year revitalizing a brand and essentially tripling business.

Pope Francis isn’t always thought of as an executive, but these numbers are pretty startling. Pope Francis drew more than 6.6 million people to his masses, audiences and events in Vatican City from March 2013 until the end of the year. That contrasts with 2.3 million for Pope Benedict in all of 2012.

I was there for Francis’s Palm Sunday Mass. Crowds farther than I could see.