Cardinal Konrad Krajewski said the move was a “desperate gesture” as the 400 occupants of the building were left “without even the possibility of operating the refrigerators”.

The state-owned building in Rome is under occupation by activists who invited homeless people, including children and families, to shelter inside.

However, the electricity provider shut off power to the building due to debts of over €300,000.

Cardinal Krajewski climbed down a manhole and removed a seal in order to flip a switch restoring electricity, Italy’s Ansa news agency reports.

Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini told La Repubblica that he now expects the cardinal to foot the bill.