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Pope Leo XIV Restores Pre-Covid Salaries for Cardinals and Senior Vatican Officials
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Reversal of Pandemic-Era Salary Cuts
On 14 September 2026, Pope Leo XIV issued a papal decree that abolishes the salary reductions imposed on cardinals and senior Vatican officials during the Covid-19 crisis. The decree states that the cuts are lifted with effect from 1 September 2026, but the restoration is not applied retroactively.
Background: 2021 Wage-Restraint Measures
In response to the financial strain caused by the pandemic, Pope Francis issued the Apostolic Letter *A Sustainable Future* on 23 March 2021. That letter reduced cardinals’ salaries by 10 percent, cut the pay of heads and secretaries of Vatican dicasteries by 8 percent, and applied a 3 percent reduction to clergy and religious. It also froze biennial seniority increments for all Vatican staff.
Financial Context and Improvement
The Vatican’s finances have shown signs of recovery. In its annual report released in May, the Vatican Bank recorded a net profit of €51 million. Vatican officials cite this improvement as part of the rationale for ending the emergency wage measures.
Details of the Restoration
A cardinal serving in the Roman Curia typically earns between €4,500 and €5,000 per month. The new decree restores those earnings to their pre-Covid levels. While the salary cuts are removed, the decree confirms that the effects produced while the wage-restraint law was in force—particularly the suspension of biennial seniority increments—remain permanently in effect.
Official Statements & Responses
He added that the Holy See will continue to pursue “economic sustainability” through various means.
The Secretariat’s Prefect, Maximino Caballero, a Spanish lay economist, provided the analysis that underpinned the decision.
In a separate decree issued the same day, Pope Leo XIV also cancelled a plan introduced by Pope Francis to relocate portions of the Vatican archives abroad, ordering instead that a new building be constructed within the Vatican to house the archives.
What’s Next
The decree does not outline additional future actions beyond the continued commitment to economic sustainability and the construction of a new archive facility.