VATICAN CITY ? Pope Benedict XVI expressed hope Sunday that the launch of a Vatican channel on YouTube would be a source of spiritual enrichment, as interest in the channel appeared to be picking up.

"It is my hope that this initiative will enrich a wide range of people -- including those who have yet to find a response to their spiritual yearning -- through the knowledge of Jesus Christ whose message of good news the Church bears to the ends of the earth," the Pope said at Angelus prayers.

Launched Friday, the Vatican's channel on the global video-sharing website, http://it.youtube.com/vatican, had registered 236,870 viewers and 7,130 subscribers as of Sunday afternoon -- a major increase from just two days ago.

The Holy See hopes the channel, to be updated regularly with daily offerings on the pontiff's main activities and other Vatican events, will attract widespread interest from both Catholics and non-Catholics.