One day last year, Polish Archbishop Konrad Krajewski was talking to a homeless man near the Vatican and discovered it was the man’s 50th birthday. He invited him to a restaurant for dinner but the man declined, saying that a restaurant would not let him in because of his odour.

Reflecting on such a misfortune, Archbishop Krajewski suggested to Pope Francis and the Vatican to open bathrooms with hot showers, soapy shaves and haircuts free of charge to the homeless. These bathrooms opened on February 6.

Free haircuts will be offered every Monday by volunteer barbers and students graduating from a hairdressing school.

It bears noting that most barbershops and hair salons are closed on Mondays in Italy.

The showers will be open every day except Wednesdays on account of the general audience.

The homeless will also receive a complete change of underwear and a kit with a towel, soap, toothpaste, razor, shaving cream and deodorant, according to different individual needs.

A total of 300 umbrellas were also given to homeless people around the Vatican and in other parts of Rome.