Pope Leo XIV restores Vatican salaries cut during Covid
Pope Leo XIV restores Vatican salaries cut during Covid
Pope Leo XIV has restored the salaries of cardinals and senior Vatican officials to their pre-Covid levels, reversing pay cuts introduced by his predecessor, Pope Francis, during the pandemic.
The decision was contained in a papal decree published on Monday, September 14, 2026, the 71st birthday of the US-born pontiff.
The decree stated that the salary reductions were abolished with effect from September 1, 2026.
Pandemic-era austerity measures scrapped
Pope Francis introduced a 10 per cent salary cut for cardinals and an eight per cent reduction for senior Vatican officials in 2021 as the Holy See faced financial difficulties caused by the Covid-19 crisis and persistent budget deficits.
Leo XIV said the reductions had been necessary to help the Vatican confront the “exceptional challenge” posed by the pandemic.
With the emergency measures now lifted, the pope said Vatican institutions would nevertheless continue efforts to ensure their economic sustainability.
The decree clarified that the restoration of salaries would not be applied retroactively.
Cardinals to return to previous pay levels
A cardinal serving in the Roman Curia, the Catholic Church’s central administration, is estimated to earn between €4,500 and €5,000 ($5,200-$5,800) monthly.
The restoration of the salaries comes as the Vatican’s finances show signs of improvement.
In its annual report published in May, the Vatican bank reported a net profit of €51 million.
Leo reverses archive relocation plan
In a separate decree issued on Monday, Leo XIV also cancelled a plan introduced by Pope Francis to transfer some of the Vatican archives outside the tiny city-state.
The new decree provides for the construction of a building within the Vatican to accommodate the archives instead.
The latest decisions mark early administrative changes under Leo XIV as the Vatican continues to balance the financial sustainability of the Holy See with the management of its institutions and resources.
