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Topics: Money, Religion, World News, Pope Leo
The surprising salary for the newly elected Pope Leo has been revealed, and it might not be what you expect.
As seagulls sat by totally unbothered, the rest of the world watched yesterday (8 May) as white smoke came billowing out of the chimney at the Sistine Chapel.
Over 100 cardinals had gone into the Conclave to elect the new pope and managed to get it done and dusted before the end of the second day.
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In the end, it was an American who was chosen to take on this big boss role, 69-year-old Cardinal Robert Prevost, and he picked his new papal name of Leo XIV.
While the late Pope Francis may have been known as the ‘humble pope’ who lived a pretty simple life and gave to others, those in this position of Head of the Catholic Church do get given some money.
It’s not exactly a traditional salary but rather that the Vatican makes sure every little thing is provided for the man in the sacred position.
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The smallest independent country in the world, it covers everything from housing and food to transportation and healthcare.
The new pope will have access to cars, travel and security as he lives what is pretty much an all-inclusive life.
Pope Leo XIV is said to follow in the footsteps of Pope Francis with a simple lifestyle, with his predecessor said to have actively refused any type of personal income while he was serving as Head of the Church, admired by millions.
It is said that the pope may be entitled to about €2,500 (£2,100-ish) a month but the late pope francis' life mirrored what his namesake, St Francis of Assisi, was known for – a commitment to simplicity and the poor.
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But that doesn’t mean to say he was worth nothing, with all the papal assets and services paid for by the Vatican, it’s thought by some that Pope Francis had a net worth right up in the millions.
The pope also gets a decent allowance to make charitable donations, another thing Francis was known for being generous with.
It’s not quite known just what Pope Leo XIV’s net worth is but while he doesn’t get a traditional salary as Head of the Catholic Church, he reportedly earned between €4,000 and €5,000 per month when he was a cardinal.
The Chicago-born Prevost is the first ever American to be named as pope and is seen as something of a centrist, having long embraced marginalised groups, much like his predecessor.