VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis says he finds the hype that is increasingly surrounding him "offensive."

In an interview with an Italian daily, Francis says he doesn't appreciate the myth-making that has seen him depicted as a "Superpope" who sneaks out at night to feed the poor.

Today, a new Italian weekly hit newsstands — a gossip magazine devoted entirely to the pope.

Francis says "The pope is a man who laughs, cries, sleeps calmly and has friends like everyone else. A normal person."

Francis also says he and Pope Benedict XVI had agreed that the emeritus pontiff would "participate in the life of the church," in keeping with Francis' belief that the elderly shouldn't be hidden away in homes when they have a wealth of experience to offer.

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