The Vatican has imposed new regulations which require visitors to dress appropriately, denying entry to those wearing shorts, revealing clothes and short skirts.
Should visitors in improper clothing attempt to enter the Vatican, they will be approached by Swiss Guards who will inform them about the new regulations and will direct them to nearby shops where they can buy proper trousers and shawls.
The new dress code will affect over four million tourists and pilgrims that travel to the Vatican every year.
"For some, the new Vatican dress code comes as a surprise," Daniele Venturi from Papaboys Catholic Youth Association told Press TV.
"I believe it is only appropriate to dress respectfully in any holy place," Venturi added.
Similar rules were previously imposed within Saint Peter's Basilica. The rules are now extended to the whole of Piazza San Pietro, the Square that extends in front of the basilica, which marks the border between the Vatican and Rome.
But some believe that the Vatican's new dress code is a way to distract people from the scandals that have recently rocked the Catholic Church.
The Vatican has repeatedly faced cases of priests accused of sexual abuse across Europe and the US during the past year.
"The Vatican's hypocrisy has reached unprecedented levels. They are now concerned with a few bare shoulders, but forget to confront the scandals and the obscenities that they are guilty of," Sergio Ravasio from Radical Party said.
However, most visitors appear to have observed the new dress code, despite the summer heat.
