Hundreds of Rome's homeless to sleep warmer after gift from Francis

400 sleeping bags distributed to mark the pontiff's 78th birthday.

Vatican City:  Pope Francis has given sleeping bags to Rome’s homeless to mark his 78th birthday.

"This is a gift for you from the pope on the occasion of his birthday," volunteers and Swiss Guards were quoted as saying to hundreds of homeless people as they handed out batches of sleeping bags on Wednesday.

The sleeping bags were distributed via a minibus, which left the Vatican at 6pm and went around Rome looking for homeless people who needed them.

A total of 300 bags, which have a hood and carry the papal ensign, found takers on the streets on Wednesday and another 100 were given to a homeless group to be distributed at a later date.

The pope turned 78 on Wednesday and eight homeless people were among the people he greeted at the end of his audience in St Peter's square.

The Argentinian leader of the world's Catholics has made concern for the poor one of the defining themes of his papacy.

Source: Vatican Insider and AFP