Last Friday, when the Vatican´s financial statement was presented, an American reporter asked Cardinal Sergio Sebastiani, president of the Prefecture for the Economic Affairs of the Holy See, how much the Pope earns.
Cardinal Sebastiani answered that, although he was unaware of a papal salary, he believed that, if it existed, it would be “normal.”
On Saturday, however, Vatican spokesman Joaquín Navarro-Valls published a press statement saying that “the Pope has not received, and has never received, a salary.”
“Appropriate Vatican organizations provide for the needs of the Holy Father´s daily activity,” the statement adds.
Navarro-Valls added that “all donations received by the Pope are allocated to the needs of the Church, respecting the intention of the donor, when stipulated.”
He concluded: “The donations are managed according to absolutely transparent criteria.”
