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Pope Leo XIV Restores Cardinals’ Salaries to Pre-Covid Levels

By Drooid · Sep 14, 2026, 11:34 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Pope Leo XIV restored cardinals' and senior Vatican officials' salaries to pre-Covid levels.
The salary restoration took effect on September 1 2026, per the papal decree.
Pope Francis had cut cardinals' pay by 10 % and officials' pay by 8 % in 2021.
Leo XIV cancelled the plan to move Vatican archives outside the city-state.
He also ordered construction of a new building inside Vatican City to house the archives.

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Story summary

Pope Leo XIV restored cardinals' and senior Vatican officials' salaries to pre-Covid levels.
The salary restoration took effect on September 1 2026, per the papal decree.
Pope Francis had cut cardinals' pay by 10 % and officials' pay by 8 % in 2021.
Leo XIV cancelled the plan to move Vatican archives outside the city-state.
He also ordered construction of a new building inside Vatican City to house the archives.