The Vatican announced on Thursday that Pope Francis planned to build showers for the homeless in St. Peter’s Square, Religion News Service reported.
The endeavor was a joint project being undertaken by Francis and Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner who, according to the wire service, was responsible for overseeing charitable acts on behalf of the pope.
The Vatican’s deputy spokesman, the Rev. Ciro Benedettini, told Religion News Service that construction on showers was scheduled to begin next week. The showers would be added to renovated public restrooms located near the marble columns that led into the basilica, which dated back to 1626.
However, the news service reported some of the intended recipients weren’t pleased with the planned showers.
A homeless man from Poland told the Tribune he thought the showers were “a bad idea” because they could attract more homeless to Vatican City.
