Pope Leo XIV Marks 71st Birthday with Salary Repeal for Vatican Employees

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his 71st birthday on Monday in Vatican City, where he announced a significant decree benefiting Vatican employees.

The decree repealed salary cuts that had been imposed by Pope Francis in 2021 as part of cost-saving measures during the COVID-19 pandemic. These cuts included a 10% reduction in pay for cardinals and smaller cuts for other staff, while senior lay employees had their pay raises frozen.

Pope Leo, who has a background in finance, indicated that the financial situation of the Vatican was not as dire as previously thought and emphasized the need for economic sustainability. Additionally, he canceled plans to relocate the Vatican's secret archives, opting instead to construct a new building within Vatican City to house the materials. On his birthday, he visited the Vatican Apostolic Library and inaugurated an exhibition about water, marking the beginning of a new five-year cycle of exhibitions.