Pope Francis spends anniversary praying

VATICAN CITY, March 13 (UPI) -- Pope Francis Thursday asked his Twitter followers to "Please pray for me" on the one year anniversary of his election to the papacy.

Instead of holding a celebration, the pope spent Thursday praying at a Lenten retreat near Rome, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

"Today the pope is not doing anything special or different from other days," Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said. "He is praying".

Francis will return to the Vatican Friday, Lombardi said.