Pope welcomes homeless to Sistine Chapel in surprise visit

Pope Francis AP

VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis made a surprise appearance Thursday in the Sistine Chapel to welcome a group of 150 homeless people who got a private guided tour, followed by dinner, as part of the pope’s ramped-up charity efforts.

“This is everyone’s house. It’s your house,” Francis told his guests. “The doors are always open for everyone.”

The Vatican announced earlier this week that the Sistine Chapel would close early to the general public to allow the private tour for the homeless. Francis’ presence wasn’t announced, and he asked that no images of the visit be released by the Vatican.

After blessing the crowd — and asking for their prayers in return — Francis met with each visitor, the Vatican press office said in a statement.

The visit, followed by dinner in the Vatican Museums, was arranged by Monsignor Konrad Krajewski, the pope’s chief alms-giver.

Krajewski has beefed up the job of the “elmosiniere,” overseeing the renovation of the public restrooms off St. Peter’s Square to install three showers and a free barber shop for the homeless. Using proceeds from the sale of papal parchments at his office, he has also distributed food, sleeping bags and umbrellas left behind in the Vatican Museums to Rome’s neediest.