Vatican to Offer Rome’s Homeless a Shave, Shower, and Haircut

The Vatican has announced a new program of giving free haircuts, showers, and even a shave to Rome’s homeless population, a report says.

This month the new services were added to last year’s announcement that church officials were adding showering facilities in St Peter’s Square for homeless people.

In November of last year it was announced that three shower stalls would be added to the refurbished public restrooms provided for Catholic pilgrims and the homeless to use.

But this year, Vatican authorities said they are adding even more services so that any homeless person who wants a haircut or a shave will also be afforded the opportunity to receive the service.

In a recent interview, Bishop Konrad Krajewski told the Italian Catholic newspaper Avvenire that the Vatican would begin offering the services on Feb. 16 near the colonnade of the square.

Bishop Krajewski said that local barbers would volunteer their services on Mondays, the day that barbershops in Italy are traditionally closed.

The Bishop also reported that Rome’s barbers had already donated enough barber chairs and other equipment to equip the effort.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Twitter @warnerthuston or email the author at igcolonel@hotmail.com