This system, already used during the Jubilee Year, was originally planned as a way of protecting pilgrims from thieves, the newspaper explained.
Meanwhile, the Roman daily Il Messagero revealed that the French and German secret services sent agents dressed as pilgrims to guarantee the security of the Vatican night and day.
The Synod of Bishops, attended daily by John Paul II and some 280 cardinals and bishops, is now in session. It closes Oct. 27.
The Vatican is regarded as a possible terrorist target following the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States. According to Italian authorities, the danger of such an attack has increased with the U.S. military action in Afghanistan.
