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Pope Leo XIV cancels COVID-era Vatican salary cuts

By Drooid · Sep 17, 2026, 3:39 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Pope Cancels Cuts

Pope Leo XIV decreed canceling the 2021 COVID-era salary cuts for Vatican staff.
The cuts lowered cardinals’ pay 10%, superiors 8%, and clergy and nuns 3%.
The Holy See then faced a €70 million deficit and a €1 billion pension shortfall.
On Sept 14, his 71st birthday, Leo inaugurated the water-themed “AQVA” exhibit, opening to the public Sept 25 2026.
Leo also announced a new building to expand the Apostolic Archive and Library.

Summary

Pope Receives Humanitatis Sphere

Pope Leo XIV received the “Sphere of Humanity” sculpture from Saint Peter for Humanity during his September General Audience.
The sphere holds four handwritten passages from Leo XIV’s encyclical Magnifica Humanitas.
Saint Peter for Humanity will convene 70 Nobel laureates in New York to draft the Codex Humanitatis.
The draft Codex will address future work, accountability, information integrity, human oversight, and child protection.

Summary

Czerny Receives Medal

Cardinal Michael Czerny will receive Villanova’s first Pope Leo XIV Sustainability Medal on Oct. 13 in Castel Gandolfo.
The medal honors individuals advancing ecological sustainability and human dignity.
The ceremony will take place in the Borgo Laudato Si’ garden of the Pontifical Gardens.
During the Oct. 12-15 Rome International Sustainability Conference, Czerny warned AI-driven data centers often ignore local communities.

History

Historical Context

In June 2015 Pope Francis issued the encyclical Laudato si’, linking climate change with poverty and urging wealthy nations to aid the poor. The Vatican had earlier hosted a climate conference with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Cardinal Peter Turkson, and the document’s call mirrors the UN Sustainable Development Goals released that year. Its scientific credibility was reinforced by advisor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber.

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Pope Cancels Cuts

Pope Leo XIV decreed canceling the 2021 COVID-era salary cuts for Vatican staff.
The cuts lowered cardinals’ pay 10%, superiors 8%, and clergy and nuns 3%.
The Holy See then faced a €70 million deficit and a €1 billion pension shortfall.
On Sept 14, his 71st birthday, Leo inaugurated the water-themed “AQVA” exhibit, opening to the public Sept 25 2026.
Leo also announced a new building to expand the Apostolic Archive and Library.

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