Free laundry facilities for Rome's homeless at Genti di Pace complex.

A laundry providing free services to Rome's homeless and poor people was opened on 10 April at the Genti di Pace complex operated by the Communità di S. Egideo, the Rome-based lay movement dedicated to evangelisation and charity.

Known as the "Pope Francis Laundry", the facility was established by the papal almoner, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, at the pontiff's behest.

The city's homeless have access to washing, drying and ironing facilities at the laundry which will be managed by S. Egidio volunteers. The initiative is seen as a concrete step in providing mercy and restoring dignity to "our brothers and sisters", as called for during the Vatican's recent Jubilee Year of Mercy.

The opening of the laundry follows the installation of showers, as well as the provision of medical services and barbers for the homeless, under St Peter's colonnades.