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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.
A decree published on Monday said the salary reductions, introduced in 2021 to ease financial pressure on the Holy See, were abolished from September 1, 2026.
Francis had cut cardinals’ salaries by 10 percent and those of senior Vatican officials by eight percent as the Holy See faced the financial strain caused by the Covid-19 crisis and persistent budget deficits.
In the decree, issued on Monday, his 71st birthday, Leo said the reductions had been necessary to address the exceptional financial challenges created by the pandemic but could now be lifted.
He said Vatican institutions would continue working to ensure the long-term sustainability of the Holy See’s finances.
The decree also clarified that the restoration of salaries would not be applied retroactively.
A cardinal serving in the Roman Curia, the Catholic Church’s central administration, is estimated to earn between 4,500 and 5,000 euros ($5,200-$5,800) per month.
The Vatican’s finances have shown signs of improvement. In its annual report published in May, the Vatican bank reported a net profit of 51 million euros.
In a separate decree issued Monday, Leo also cancelled a plan introduced by Francis to move some Vatican archives outside the city-state.
The decree said a new building would instead be constructed within the Vatican to house the archives.
