Pope Leo’s salary exposed.
The appointment of Pope Leo XIV has sparked global curiosity over whether he’ll uphold Pope Francis’ legacy of humility and financial austerity—or redefine the papal role entirely.
Pope Francis’ humble lifestyle highlighted.
Francis modeled his papacy on the simplicity of St. Francis of Assisi, rejecting luxuries and even shunning the grand Apostolic Palace.
Instead of the traditional Vatican apartment, he chose the Domus Sanctae Marthae guesthouse—a much humbler residence within the Vatican walls.
Though he didn’t earn a cent in wages, Pope Francis had access to an estimated £12 million in assets, services, and papal resources.
The papal lifestyle includes armored vehicles, chartered jets, historic residences, and funds for charitable causes—not personal spending sprees.
In one notable example, Francis donated €200,000 to prisoners in a Roman jail—highlighting the Pope’s role as a giver, not a gainer.
The Vatican might appear drenched in gold, but the reality of its finances is a bit more sobering—and even precarious.
New Pope election described.
The process of selecting Pope Leo XIV began the moment Pope Francis officially stepped down, triggering the centuries-old tradition of the papal conclave.
Held within the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, the conclave gathers all eligible cardinals under strict secrecy to vote on the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Held within the Vatican’s Sistine Chapel, the conclave gathers all eligible cardinals under strict secrecy to vote on the next leader of the Roman Catholic Church.
Only cardinals under the age of 80 are permitted to vote, totaling 122 electors this time around.
Before entering, each cardinal swears an oath of secrecy, and all communication with the outside world is cut off—no phones, no internet, no leaks.
Voting takes place in multiple rounds, with a two-thirds majority required for any candidate to be declared pope.
Ballots are burned after each round, with special chemicals used to produce white smoke when a new pope is chosen, and black smoke when the vote is inconclusive.
After several rounds of voting, Cardinal Matteo Zampini, a relatively quiet but respected Argentinian figure, emerged as a surprise consensus candidate.
Upon accepting the role, he chose the name Pope Leo XIV—honoring an 19th-century reformer—and stepped into a legacy shadowed by the humble, reform-driven leadership of Pope Francis.
Pope Leo XIV’s life chronicled.
Before becoming Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Matteo Zampini lived a largely understated life in the Church, known more for his behind-the-scenes work than for public appearances.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, he followed a path strikingly similar to Pope Francis, growing up in a working-class neighborhood with deep Catholic roots.
He was ordained a priest in the late 1990s and quickly became known for his focus on social justice, poverty, and environmental stewardship.
Zampini spent years working with Caritas Internationalis and later served as adjunct secretary for the Vatican’s Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
He was fluent in multiple languages, often traveling across Latin America and Europe to advocate for the poor and marginalized.
Despite his growing influence, he maintained a quiet, humble lifestyle and was rarely seen engaging in political Vatican power games.
His theological work blended traditional Catholic doctrine with a sharp focus on real-world economic and climate issues.
By the time of the conclave, his name wasn’t at the top of many lists—making his election a surprise that some see as divine alignment with Pope Francis’s vision.
New Pope’s paycheck confirmed.
He’s the spiritual father of more than a billion people, a global icon in white, and technically the head of state—yet the Pope gets paid exactly… nothing.
The Vatican, a tiny city-state barely the size of a golf course, covers every inch of the pontiff’s needs: housing, food, travel, healthcare, and round-the-clock Swiss Guard security.
Despite being the most powerful religious leader on Earth, the Pope doesn’t draw a traditional salary like your average bishop or cardinal.
Newly elected Pope Leo XIV will not be pocketing a paycheck, despite technically being entitled to a modest €2,500 monthly income—about £2,150.
All eyes now on Pope Leo XIV.
With Pope Francis now retired, the world is watching to see if Pope Leo XIV will continue the no-salary tradition—or chart a new financial path.
Will Leo continue the frugal Francis model—or loosen the belt a bit for a Church in crisis?
In his first week, the Vatican confirmed Pope Leo XIV will also reject a traditional wage, keeping in step with his predecessor’s humble precedent.
So while the Pope doesn’t earn a dime in the conventional sense, his position is funded, fortified, and followed by over a billion believers worldwide.