ROME -- Shivering under freezing temperatures, battling with chilling winds and icy conditions, children have been heading to school swaddled in scarves, coats and gloves, as institutions in the Italian capital were ‘left in the cold’ without central heating.

 Virginia Raggi, Mayor of Rome, said Saturday, “We have the wellbeing of our children at heart,” and promised to switch on the heating as soon as possible. Yet, it was not until 11p.m Sunday night that the boilers eventually sparked up -- too late for some, who claim that it will take a long time to thaw the ‘fridge-like classrooms,’ says Roman daily Il Messaggero.

 The ‘Scuole Calde’ (Warm Schools) operation, at the cost of 27,000 euros an hour, clearly was not on hand to deal with the frosty situation this January, as a lack of communication between the city council, the Province and the municipal department left youngsters chattering their teeth whilst trying to study.

 And it is not just the capital that has suffered with the biting weather conditions. Streets have been left empty across the country, especially in Southern Italy where towns have been rendered virtually paralysed by the icy grip.

 The majority of schools in Puglia have been forced to close due to heavy snowfall, as roads and pathways have been completely covered by blankets of snow. Salerno, Catanzaro, Campobasso, Matera and Potenza have also had to suspend lessons in schools and universities until the situation improves.

 New Italian Prime Minister, Paolo Gentiloni, said of the crisis, “We are working with the utmost commitment to reduce and deal with the hardships that much of Italy is facing.”

 Meanwhile, Pope Francis asked the population to think of the homeless, living on the streets in such treacherous conditions. The Rome-based religious community of Sant’Egidio is handing out covers and blankets every evening to those living without shelter from the cold, conscious of recent reports of those on the streets dying of pneumonia.

 The pontiff said after the Angelus prayer in St. Peter’s square, “In these days of such coldness, I think, and urge you to think, of all those living on the streets, suffering from the cold (…) Let us pray for them and ask the Lord to warm our hearts to help them.”

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