Pope Leo XIV Lifts COVID Salary Cuts for Vatican Cardinals and Religious Personnel


 Pope Leo XIV Lifts Pandemic-Era Vatican Salary Cuts

Pope Leo XIV has officially repealed A Sustainable Future, the March 2021 Motu Proprio issued by Pope Francis that slashed salaries and froze seniority pay raises for Roman Curia leadership and clergy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Effective September 1, 2026, the decree brings an end to the Holy See's pandemic-era austerity measures. Pope Leo XIV issued the new Motu Proprio on September 14, 2026, effectively repealing the former March 2021 Motu Proprio issued by Pope Francis. 

Key Provisions of the Repeal

  • Restoration of Salaries: The end of pandemic cuts restores full pay for Cardinals (previously cut by 10%), Dicastery heads and secretaries (previously cut by 8%), and clergy and religious personnel (previously cut by 3%).

  • Protection of Past Actions: Salary reductions and frozen seniority increases enacted between March 2021 and September 2026 remain permanently in effect; no retroactive back-pay or lost seniority accruals will be awarded.

  • Context of Original Cuts: Pope Francis originally implemented the austerity package to cover widening Vatican deficits during COVID-19 while explicitly protecting lay employees and lower-wage families from layoffs.

  • Future Financial Strategy: In his decree, Pope Leo noted that while emergency measures are no longer required, Holy See institutions must maintain economic sustainability through long-term structural reforms rather than temporary wage freezes.

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