Pope Francis has approved plans for showers for homeless people to be installed under the colonnades of St Peter’s Square.
Francis gave the go-ahead after his official alms-giver reported that a homeless man living in Vatican turned down an invitation to have dinner with him in a restaurant because he was embarrassed of his smell.
The Pope has called for “a Church for the poor,” and invited four homeless people to join him for breakfast on own birthday.
Archbishop Konrad Krajewski invited Franco, originally from Sardinia, to dinner in October after meeting him on the street.
“He told me that he was turning 50 that day and that he had been living on the street for ten years," he told the Italian daily La Stampa.
“I took him [to dinner] with me anyway. We went to a Chinese restaurant. During dinner, he explained to me that you can always find some food in Rome. What is missing is a place to wash."
Work on the showers is due to begin on Monday while ten other showers have already been built at parishes across Rome.
Three showers will be installed in an existing public lavatory block used by tourists, and will be paid for from Vatican charitable funds.
Archbishop Krajewski, 51, was appointed official almoner in November after Francis told him that he must be out on the streets seeking out the needy. He had been papal master of ceremonies from 1998 to 2013.
He said: “The Holy Father told me at the beginning: “You can sell your desk. You don’t need it. You need to get out of the Vatican. Don’t wait for people to come ringing. You need to go out and look for the poor'."
Top: Rough sleepers in Rome need facilities to shower. Above: Francis celebrated Mass with four homeless men on his birthday. Photos: CNS
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