A new pope has been elected! But how much do we earn by accessing the throne of Saint-Pierre? It took barely two days of conclave to the 133 cardinals voters to designate the new head of the Catholic Church. This Thursday, May 8, 2025, it was the French cardinal Dominique Mamberti who announced from the Balcony of the Saint-Pierre Basilica the name of the successor of Pope Francis: the American Robert Francis Prevost, 69, thus becomes the 267th Pontiff of history. But barely elected, a question comes up regularly among the faithful as among the curious: is the Pope remunerated for his role as spiritual leader and head of state? The answer is simple: no. The Pope does not receive wages. On the other hand, all of its expenses (housing, meals, transport, health, safety) are fully supported by the state of the Vatican. These costs are integrated into the annual budget of the Holy See, which exceeds one billion euros.
This does not mean that the Pope cannot receive personal income. In 2010, Pope Benedict XVI had pocketed around 5 million euros thanks to his theological publications, a sum he had largely donated to charities. In 2018, François had sold a Lamborghini offered by the brand, collecting 715,000 euros for the benefit of several associations.
Another privilege: the sovereign pontiff pays no tax, neither in the Vatican, nor in his country of origin. And if he resigns, a rare possibility but made possible since 2013 with the departure of Benoît XVI, he continues to receive a retirement. The ex-German ex-pope then received around 2,500 euros per month, while retaining housing, care and protection. The funeral, too, are supported. Those of John Paul II had cost almost 5 million euros. Those of Pope Francis, who died on February 21 at the age of 88, were estimated between 600,000 and 1.5 million euros, funded by a private donor according to He Giornel.
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How much are other members of the Catholic religion paid?
Unlike the church chief, the other members of the clergy are well employed. A cardinal working at the Roman Curia perceives today between 4,500 and 5,000 euros per month, after a reduction of 10 % imposed by Pope Francis in 2021 then in 2024 to cope with the Vatican budget deficit, which amounted to 80 million euros in 2023. On the side of French priests, the salary is much more modest: between 1,000 and 1,200 euros net per month, below the minimum wage.
Article written in collaboration with 6media.
