It was the change of tone heard ’round the world. Time has selected Pope Francis as this year’s person of the year. “What makes this Pope so important is the speed with which he has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on hoping for the church at all.”

+ The award is supposed to go to the person who had the most influence on the news. As The New Yorker’s John Cassidy argues, by that standard, Edward Snowden should have taken home the prize. Since his original leaks continue to lead to a gradual rollout of new stories, he may still win it next year.

+ Cocktails & Carnage: The people behind person of the year.