Pope Francis has ordered the reduction of 10 percent of the salaries of the cardinals, 8% of the heads and secretaries of dicasteries (the Vatican ministries) and 3% of the religious, while maintaining the payroll of the laity, given the economic situation dragged by the State.
It is about “taking measures to contain costs for the personnel of the Holy See, the Governorate of the Vatican City State and other related organizations” with a Motu proprio, a document signed by the pontiff, published today.
The pope explains that, “as a result of the health emergency caused by the spread of Covid-19, which negatively affected all sources of income for the Holy See and the Vatican City State,” he has made the decision to reduce salaries to, above all, guarantee all jobs.
Therefore, as of April 1, the remuneration of cardinals working in the Holy See is reduced by 10 percent with respect to the last salary paid, while the reduction is 8 percent in the case of those who they have the position of superiors and of 3 percent to ecclesiastical and religious.
Also in the period between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2023, the accrual of two-year seniority increases is suspended, except for lay employees from the first to third level of the ladder, that is, the lower salaries.
These provisions, in addition to all workers of the Curia, the Governatorato (the Government of Vatican City) and other related entities, also apply to the Vicariate of Rome, to the Papal Basilicas of St. Peter in the Vatican, of St. Juan de Letrán and Santa María la Mayor, as well as the San Pedro Factory and the Basilica of San Pablo Outside the Walls.
The recent budget of the Holy See approved for 2021 will be the most restrictive in the recent history of the Holy See and, despite this, close to 50 million debt is expected.
The prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy, the Vatican Minister of Finance, Juan Antonio Guerrero Alves, recently explained that an important adjustment plan has been implemented with a total planned reduction of expenses of 8% and stressed that “the protection of jobs and wages has been a priority ”.
If in 2019 the revenue was 307 million euros, this year there will be 30 percent less, 213 million, he pointed out, while the data for 2020 is still awaited.