Rome, December 18, 2014

Most people celebrate their birthdays by receiving gifts, but Pope Francis did the opposite. To celebrate his 78th birthday on Wednesday, he gave 400 sleeping bags to Rome’s poor.

Some 400 homeless people of Rome now have a sleeping bag with the papal coat of arms on it.

This initiative, as all of the Pope’s charitable endeavors, was organized by Polish Bishop Konrad Krajedwski, the papal almoner.

A group of volunteers of the Swiss Guard handed out 300 sleeping bags, while the remaining 100 were given to Roman institutions working with the underprivileged.

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