Pope Francis on Monday warned an audience of hairdressers, hairstylists and beauticians that they should avoid gossiping.

"Practice your profession in a Christian style, treating customers with kindness and courtesy, offering them a good word and encouragement," he said.

"And avoid succumbing to the temptation of chatter which is easily associated with your field of work," he added.

During the meeting at the Vatican, he advised the group of 230 pilgrims to follow their patron saint Martino de Porres (1579-1639), canonized in 1966 by his predecessor Paul VI.

Read more: Pope Francis lashes out at 'scandal-obsessed' media

The barber-surgeon was canonized for his supposed miracles of levitation, being in two places at once, instant cures and communicating with animals. Porres is also the patron saint of mixed-race people.

Much like Porres, whose job covered haircuts, amputations and bloodletting, "each of you, in your professional work, can always act with righteousness, thus making a positive contribution to the common good of society," Francis said.

Read more: Natural hair revolution unravels racist beauty ideals in Caribbean

In 2015, the pontiff opened a hairdressing salon in the Vatican for the homeless people of Rome. It is open on Mondays, when other barbers are closed, and is staffed by volunteers.

aw/amp (AFP, KNA, epd)

High Five: 5 celebrities with trademark hairstyles Princess Beatrix Oh how we would love to see the former Queen of the Netherlands right after waking up in the morning. Ever since her wedding in 1966, Princess Beatrix has only been seen in her hooded hairstyle. The Dutch affectionately call the look the "het Beatrixkapsel" (the Beatrix Crown). To get the look, only hair curlers and a lot of hairspray are necessary.

High Five: 5 celebrities with trademark hairstyles Rod Stewart Even after 50 years in music, Rod Stewart's hairstyle hasn't changed: bottle blonde, yucky and a bit of what the Germans call Vokuhila (short front, long back, aka the mullet). The look is just as important to Stewart's image as the voice. Every hairdresser in the world knows what you're after when you order a "rod," he writes in his autobiography. He's probably right.

High Five: 5 celebrities with trademark hairstyles Mireille Mathieu Wearing probably the most successful bob of all time, French singer Mireille Mathieu has committed to a hair cut every six to eight weeks, she once said. The bangs even more frequently. It's a style that Mathieu hasn't changed since the seventies. She once told the German daily Die Welt that it was more than just a trademark, Along with her voice, it's her greatest asset, she said.

High Five: 5 celebrities with trademark hairstyles Donatella Versace The hair length may vary but the color remains: bleach blond. The Italian fashion designer owes the look to her brother Gianni Versace, who is said to have been a fan of Patty Pravo, an Italian singer known for her straight blond hair. At eleven, Donatella took on this look and has not changed it since (even though she has been known to wear a wig for some time now).

High Five: 5 celebrities with trademark hairstyles Karl Lagerfeld The fashion designer speaks surprisingly pragmatically about his iconic hairstyle, saying the ponytail is a look that is extremely easy to care for. Tied up quickly, it doesn't lose shape quickly. The recipe, which has proven itself since 1976, is to wash the hair just once every two weeks; in between there is dry shampoo. Author: Antje Binder (ct)



Every evening, DW's editors send out a selection of the day's hard news and quality feature journalism. You can sign up to receive it directly here.