18 Vatican cardinals will have their salaries reduced next month in order to balance the Holy See's budget.
The Vatican's Secretariat for the Economy informed the cardinals earlier this month that the state would only cover their basic salaries, omitting allowances for personal secretarial and other expenses.
The cut represents around a 10% reduction. Italian news agency Ansa reports that a cardinal heading a dicastery currently earns around €5,000 per month.
Pope Francis sent a letter to all cardinals in September, urging them to help reduce the Vatican’s budget deficit, which stood at just over €83 million in 2023.
The Pope stressed that "additional efforts from everyone are now necessary to ensure that a 'zero deficit' is not just theoretical but also effective."
This is not the first time Pope Francis has implemented austerity measures. In March 2021, he had already cut cardinals’ salaries by 10%.
Earlier this year, in February, he eliminated the benefits of free or reduced-price housing for cardinals and officials of the Roman Curia.
