St Peter's Square is 'attracting double the number' of homeless people since Pope Francis started offering more help to people who are forced to sleep rough.
Some locals have said they are unhappy about the increase in the level of desperate people going to the Vatican to be given food.
"I believe the help the Pope is giving the homeless attracts them here - there are at least double the number," one student told The Times.
The Pope has ordered showers to be installed and homeless people are offered free haircuts and shaves.
People with nowhere else to go queue up daily to take advantage of the services provided by the Church.
Shop staff are unhappy though: "There has been a big increase in the past three to four months," a retailer told the newspaper.
"They urinate during the day in front of people and put off our trade," the trader claimed.
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