Homeless people to be offered haircuts, shaves at the Vatican

The Vatican will offer homeless people in Rome not only showers but also haircuts and shaves when new facilities open next month, the head of Pope Francis' charity office said.

The Vatican announced last year that it would provide shower facilities in St Peter's Square for homeless people.

Konrad Krajewski told the Italian Catholic newspaperAvvenire on Thursday that it would also offer haircuts and shaves when the services start on February 16 in an area under the colonnade of the square.

Bishop Krajewski, whose official title is the pope's almoner, said barbers and hairdressers would volunteer their services on Mondays, the day their shops are traditionally closed in Italy.

They had already donated chairs, hair-cutting instruments, and mirrors, the newspaper's website said.

Krajewski came up with the idea of building showers in St Peter's Square last year after a homeless person told him that while it was relatively easy to find places to eat at Rome charities, it was difficult to find places to wash.

He immediately received the Pope's backing for the shower project and then expanded it to include haircuts and shaves.