The ban imposed by the Vatican on tourists wearing skimpy clothing has been deemed as hypocritical, especially with the Catholic Church battling scandals involving paedophile priests.

Visitors have said that instead of dealing with the scandals and decades of cover-ups, the Vatican is wasting its time on mundane things like skimpy clothing.

Swiss Guards, who are the Pope's private army, have been enforcing the new decree at the Vatican City State, a rule that had long been put into place at St Peter's Basilica.

The guards drew aside men in shorts and women with uncovered shoulders and short skirts to tell them that they were not dressed properly.

And others, who were not allowed to enter at all, accused the authorities of double standards.

"Given all the scandals the Church has been involved in, what possible right can it have to be preaching about the morality of sleeveless dresses?" the Telegraph quoted one woman in her seventies, identified only as Maria, as saying.

The crackdown on inappropriate clothing comes at a time when senior figures at the Vatican, including Pope Benedict XVI, are accused of failing to act against priests who sexually abused children. (ANI)