THE POPE OFFERS TELEPHONE CARDS AND METRO TICKETS TO THE NEEDY OF ROME

Vatican City, 15 December 2013 (VIS) – Two thousand envelopes will be distributed to the needy, in the locations where aid is offered by the Sisters of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, by volunteers who provide evening assistance or by Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, Almoner of His Holiness. It is the Pope's Christmas gift to the poorest and most marginalised of the capital.

The envelopes, which will be delivered by Archbishop Krajewski, are franked with Vatican stamps, so that it may be used, simply by adding an address, and contains the Pope's signed Christmas greetings card, telephone cards and day tickets for the Metro, the city's underground rail service.

The directorate of ATAC (Municipal Agency for Transport in Rome) has offered 4000 day tickets for the Metro, the Vatican Post has offered the stamps, and the envelopes were donated by the Vatican Typography.