Sistine Chapel 'is your house'

(ANSA) - Vatican City, March 26 - Pope Francis greeted 150 homeless in the Sistine Chapel Thursday, telling them "this is your house". Francis shook hands with those he met and told them: "Welcome. This is the house of all, it is your house. The doors are always open for all". The pope thanked Papal Almoner Msgr Konrad Krajewski for setting up the visit, which he described as a "small caress" for the guests.
    Francis added: "Pray for me. I need the prayers of people like you".
    The pontiff went on to bless the homeless, saying "May the Lord keep you, help you along life's path and let you feel the tender love of the Father".
    Francis then said goodbye to all the street people individually, spending another 20 minutes with his guests, according to the deputy head of the Vatican press office, Father Ciro Benedettini. The homeless had entered the Vatican via St Peter's Gate and got to the Vatican Museums by skirting the apse of St Peter's Basilica.
    After the meeting with the pope and the visit to the Sistine Chapel they headed off at about 18:00 to the refreshment centre inside the museums.
    After dining they will leave the museums by the same route they took to get in.
    The visit, quickly blessed by the pope when Cardinal Krajewski put it to him recently, is the latest papal effort for Rome's poor and homeless, many of whom sleep rough around the Vatican.
    Francis recently had special showers for the homeless installed in Bernini's famous colonnade.
    Before that he laid on a barber's service for street people to get their hair cut and have a wash and brush-up.
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