How much will Pope Leo XIV earn as head of the Catholic Church?
After Pope Leo XIV was elected as the highest official in the Catholic Church, he also received a significant upgrade to his salary.
According to a report by global business magazine Fortune, Sacred Heart University's Catholic studies professor Daniel Rober said that the new pope is entitled to €30,000 (P1.8 million) a month or €360,000 (P22 million) yearly.
While it's not yet known whether Pope Leo XIV accepted the offer, the news outlet noted that he "could be making as much as some of the world’s most powerful leaders" if he does.
Aside from the lavish salary, Pope Leo XIV also has access to the signature popemobile and other private cars, as well as free medical services and a private pharmacy.
He also doesn't have to worry about his meals and day-to-day necessities as they are all free of charge.
Should he choose to retire from his position, he would still be given a monthly pension amounting to €2,500 (P154,645) and will be provided a home inside the Vatican with food and housekeeping covered.
Per Fortune, his predecessor—the late Pope Francis—was known to have refused the lavish salary as he wanted it to be donated to the Church or other entities in need instead.
Pope Francis, in a 2017 conference, said that being a pope goes beyond working. "(It's) more than a mere doing; it is, above all, a mission." According to the Catholic News Agency, he also said in 2024 that it's "not an easy job."
"The Church is not a business, or an NGO, and the pope is not an administrator who has been commissioned to balance the numbers at the end of the year," he said. "Being the pope is not an easy job. Nobody has studied before doing this."
Pope Leo XIV, whose real name is Robert Francis Prevost, is the 267th pope after Pope Francis, who served for 12 years from March 2013 until his death last April. He made history as the first American pope and the first Augustinian pope. Get to know the new pope here.
