Summary
In February 2023, Pope Francis implemented a policy that required cardinals and Vatican officials who had been appointed after 2023 to assume rental obligations or absorb significant increases in housing costs for their Vatican-owned apartments. The policy was rescinded by Pope Leo XIV in response to its inconsistent application, challenges it posed to the staffing of open positions within the Vatican, and potential unintended consequences such as making it difficult to appoint bishops or cardinals without free or subsidized housing. While initially only affecting a handful of officials and cardinals appointed after 2023, many believed that the rescript created difficulties for those who did not already have free or subsidized Vatican housing at the time of its publication. Pope Francis justified the policy change in February 2023 by citing an economic crisis and the need for resource allocation to support the Holy See. The previous regulation was reinstated by Leo XIV, simplifying these details moving forward. In November 2023, Cardinal Raymond Burke was informed that he would have to pay market rates for his apartment or vacate it, leading to speculation about the reasons behind this decision, though official confirmation of such a statement has not been provided.
Key Topics
Pope Francis, Vatican City, Leo XIV
