Pope Francis, the pontiff who fought to reform the Church, died at age 88 this Monday at his residence in the Santa Marta house, in Rome, after eleven years presiding over the Holy See. His way of living and exercising the papacy contrasts significantly with some of his predecessors: the choice of his name ‘Francisco’ in honor of San Francisco de Asís, known for his life of poverty and simplicity, or the rejection of the luxuries of the VaticanThey are some of his most prominent gestures.
How much money does a Pope earn?
The collective imaginary relates the figure of the Pope to luxuries and money, however, although the Vatican has considerable assets and a great heritage, the life of Pope Francis has not been exactly bathed in opulence. In fact, The Pontiff has not received a monthly salary or fees.
Besides, The Holy See exclusively covers its basic needssuch as food, accommodation, clothing and trips. Regarding the financing of his daily life, the Vatican is responsible for assuming these expenses. But where does the Vatican money come from?
The Vatican is financed, mainly, with donations such as the Obolo of St. Peter (voluntary contributions of Catholics from all over the world), contributions from the diocese, income generated by the Vatican Museum, Real estate income and investments which has real estate and values (managed by the administration of the heritage of the Apostolic Headquarters), in addition to the sale of publications and rights.
How did his life change when he became dad?
Interestingly, the cardinals live under a financial structure very different from that of the pontiffs, with monthly income of between 10,000 and 13,000 euros, according to the German medium Focus.
Although, in the specific case of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, which is the real name of the Pontiff, he always tried to lead a very austere life: when he was a cardinal in Buenos Aires, He lived in a small apartment instead of the Archbishop’s palacehe was traveling in public transport, he cooked himself and received a salary from the church. However, he had no car or properties.
By becoming Pope, Francisco continued on that path: he resigned to live in luxurious papal apartments of the Apostolic Palace and uses simple vehicles (like a Ford Focus) inside the Vatican. In addition, despite having had access to an immense economic apparatus, He has tried to reform and transparent his finances.
It should be noted that Pope Francis has undone of certain symbols of power: I didn’t wear red shoes, or the traditional golden ring (His is a golden silver), and has strongly criticized “carrerism” and opulence in the church.
