First they got sleeping bags from Pope Francis. Then a shower and shave. Now Rome's homeless are getting a private, guided tour of the Sistine Chapel.

The Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano says the Vatican will open its museum doors to 150 homeless people on Thursday.

They will enter Vatican City via a side entrance, walk past the Vatican hotel where Pope Francis lives and behind St Peter's Basilica to an internal entrance of the Vatican Museums.

They will see some galleries en route to Michelangelo's masterpiece, which will close to the general public early.

Afterwards, the group is invited to dinner, L'Osservatore reported.

The visit is being organised by Monsignor Konrad Krajewski, who has ramped up the job of the Pope's chief alms-giver to take particular care of Rome's neediest.

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