ROME (AP) — Pope Francis on Friday called on the diocese of Rome to respond to a growing housing crisis in the Eternal City, wading into the debate about rising rental prices that has only grown more acute with Holy Year celebrations in 2025.
Francis has written to the city's church leaders and religious order priests for any available church properties to be used for the homeless or residents facing possible eviction because of rising rents.
The letter reflected something of the paradox facing the Vatican: Francis’ yearlong jubilee is expected to bring more than 30 million pilgrims to Rome to celebrate the Holy Year. That has had the predictable effect of driving up demand for short-term apartment rentals, particularly near the Vatican.
That demand, in turn, has only accelerated the trend of local residents moving out or being priced out as owners turn their properties over to short-term property agents, such as Airbnb and other platforms that cater to tourists. It's a trend that is happening in other Italian cities, including Florence and Venice, and across Europe, leading to protests by local residents.
In his letter, Francis noted that Rome’s Catholic institutions were preparing to provide shelter to millions of pilgrims for the jubilee. But he asked them to also “make a courageous gesture of love” to Romans by offering up any unused housing or apartments.
“I want all diocesan realities that own real estate to offer their contribution to stem the housing emergency with signs of charity and solidarity to generate hope in the thousands of people in the city of Rome who are in a condition of precarious housing,” Francis wrote.
The Catholic Church is a major property owner in Rome, with a portfolio including commercial and residential real estate as well as church-owned convents and monasteries.
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
FILE - Pope Francis arrives in St. Peter's Square on the occasion of the weekly general audience at the Vatican, Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
JOHANNESBURG (AP) — The South African government said on Friday it has put together a team including mine rescue experts to come up with a plan to bring to surface illegal miners who remain under a disused gold mine.
The move signaled the government was taking a more conciliatory approach compared to earlier this week, when it said it wouldn't send help to the miners under the disused Stilfontein gold mine in the North West province. Officials have closed entrances to the mineshaft used to bring them food, water and other basic necessities as part of a government strategy to force them to return to the surface and be arrested.
Authorities had said the operation, called “Close the Hole,” would “smoke out” the miners from the mineshaft. There are no official estimates of the numbers of miners remaining in the mine, but police had cited local information and said up to 4,000 may be underground.
But a police spokesperson said on Thursday that they believed the number was exaggerated and maybe be far less than that, estimating a figure of between 350 and 400 miners.
A government delegation led by police minister Senzo Mchunu visited the site of the disused mine on Friday to engage with the community and relatives of the miners who are underground.
While Mchunu insisted that the illegal miners were committing a crime, he said the government also wanted to save their lives.
“We need a much quicker process, because it is risky and dangerous for them to remain where they are for a longer period," Mchunu said.
Mchunu said they had been advised that the mineshaft was 2,500 meters (more than 8,000 feet) deep and that the process to get people out of there was very dangerous. He added that his team was also wary of the fact that the miners may be heavily armed.
A team including mine safety experts, police, the army and various government departments was scheduled to meet Friday to put together a plan, with the mine safety experts expected to do an immediate assessment of the situation.
According to the police, 369 firearms, 10,000 rounds of ammunition, 5 million rand ($275,000) in cash and 32 million rand ($1.75 million) worth of uncut diamonds have been recovered from illegal miners since the government's operation began.
More than 1,000 miners have surfaced at various mines in North West province, with many reported to be weak, hungry and sickly after going for weeks without basic necessities.
Some family members of the illegal miners have pleaded with the government to deploy resources and expertise to get them out, with community members retrieving some miners themselves this week.
A decomposed body believed to be of one of the miners was brought to the surface on Thursday, and police said they were still trying to determine the person's identity and cause of death.
Volunteer rescue workers stand by the opening of a reformed gold mine shaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Relatives and friends wait for news near a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Relatives and friends protest near a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Relatives and friends protest near a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Police officers and volunteer rescuers stand by the opening of a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Volunteer rescuers sit by the opening of a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Volunteer rescuers sit by the opening of a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Police officers and private security personnel stand by the opening of a reformed gold mineshaft where illegal miners are trapped in Stilfontein, South Africa, Friday, Nov.15, 2024. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
