Pope Leo XIV brings back the “conclave bonus”

The new Pope Leo XIV has revived an old Vatican tradition and awarded employees a bonus of 500 euros for the election of the new pontiff. The so-called conclave bonus was abolished in 2013 under Pope Francis .

According to the Italian news agency Ansa, the special payment was approved on Friday, shortly before the new pope's first official audience with the Roman Curia and its staff. The bonus is intended as a thank you for the work during the sede vacante (the period of the vacant see).