The conclave, which opens this Wednesday, May 7 at the Vatican, aims to elect a new pope. 133 Cardinals voters are led to vote according to a very supervised protocol. An important task, which will designate the new spiritual leader of the Catholic Church. The pope is also the bishop of the diocese of Rome, and the monarchical head of state of the Vatican. Being Pontiff therefore gives great powers, but this status is not remunerative.
Indeed, the Pope does not receive a salary for his function. On the other hand, if it does not touch a fixed amount each month, all the expenses of the pontiff are paid by the Vatican, from its food to its accommodation (apartments located in the apostolic palace are traditionally reserved for the popes, but François, died on April 21, rather chose the residence-hotel Sainte-Marthe, surrounded by other members of the clergy) passing through its medical costs and its trips abroad.
VideoConclave: the cardinals of the “selfie generation”
It also has a car with private driver, still at the Vatican cost, and can receive gifts. In 2018, François, to whom we offered a Lamborghini, decided to resell the luxury car. The 715,000 euros collected were donated to several charity works.
-Thanks to the release of different books, Benoît XVI received around 5 million euros, all without being subject to tax, another advantage of the Pope’s function.
5 million euros for Benoît XVI
If the Pope does not receive money in the context of his function, the cardinals, on the other hand, can receive coquettes sums, up to around 5,000 euros per month.
In 2021, François had nevertheless dropped by the salary of cardinals by 10 % and other members of the clergy to reduce the Vatican budget deficit. In 2024, the 18 cardinals at the head of a Vatican dicastery – the major organisms of the Curia of Rome – again saw their remuneration decrease by 10 %.
In addition, in 2023, the Sovereign Pontiff demanded cardinals and other senior senior leaders to pay rent, where they benefited before free housing or on very advantageous conditions. Also, in 2020, Angelo Becciu, 72, an Italian cardinal sentenced for embezzlement, was dismissed by the Pope. On April 29, he announced that he gave up participating in the conclave.
