The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-20
THE INCOME OF THE POPE.
THE AMOUNT OF 1T is KNOWN TO
VERY FEW.

Handles-T'he Expense Account of
the Holy Father-HOw the House
hold Expenses Are Divided-sOme
of the Investments-Other Matters
of General Interest.
Rome. Jan. 10.-If a number of people
were asked to name the FIVE men in the
world who had the largest five incomes,
not one in dozen would include in the
list Leo XIII. Pope of Rome; and yet
there is probably no man in the world
whose income last year amounted to SO
large a sum as did the Popes. 1t is true
that no statement of his receipts is given
out at the Vatican, but 1t is very easy
TO estimate from certain known facts and
gain fairly accurate idea of the pontifi-
cal budget during the Holy Year Beside
the Pope himself. probably no more than
Two men know the exact amount of the
Papal income. One of these is Cardinal
and the other Cardinal Mocenni, the man
who has the actual handling Of the
money.
Cardinal Mocenni might, with proprie-
ty. be called the Financial Minister of
the Church, for he it is who has charge
of the investment of the large sums which
come to the Papal treasury, and although
ne has no absolute authority as to the dis
position of the money, the Pope himself
with the advice of his Secretary of State.
making all final decisions regarding it,
all the funds pass through his hands, and
he enjoys the rare distinction of living
in the Vatican in order that he may exer-
else direct supervision over the Pope's
financial affairs.
While not so old a man as the Holy
Father, Cardinal Mocenni is advanced in
years and Is physically feeble. His apart
ments are on the top floor of the Vati-
can. Immediately over those occupied by
Cardinal Rampolla, which, in turn, are
directly over those occupied by the Pope.
II is not easy for man approaching
eighty years of age to climb up stairs,
so when he took possession of his apart
ments In the Vatican, Cardinal Mocenni
had an American elevator erected in the
Court of St. Damso, and by it's means
he reaches his rooms with a minimum of
effort. 1t Is the first elevator ever erect
ed in the Vatican and is used only by
the Pope and the Cardinals 1t is so
placed that carriages can drive direct to
it's entrance.
Cardinal Mocenni is one of the most
popular cardinals in the Curia. He has
lived in Rome for many years, and is in
great favor with the populace of the city.
The amount of money which he handles
for the Pope in ordinary years is enor-
nous. but 1900, Holy Year, the Papal re-
ceipts were increased fully $1,5O0,00O, and
the total amount which passed through
Cardinal Mocenni's hands was not far
from four and half millions of dollars.
The greater part of this enormous in
come is Peters Pence" In ordinary
years this amounts 10 about s., 900, 900, but
the greatly increased interest in the
church in Holy Year was responsible for
a great increase in the total amount of
offerings to this fund. Approximately
stated, the Pope's income last year was
as follows:
Income from real estate in Italy
and abroad .........................$ 10000
Income from sums invested in
securities, etc. .....,.. ............$1,2O O,OOO
Special donations and gifts ..... 500,0OO
Peters pence NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 2,5OO,OO0
Total ........... "a S75, 900
The expense account OF the Holy Fa-
Their does not nearly approach this sum.
1t consists principally of salaries of Car
dinals. ENJOYS, attendants and household
expenses, divided somewhat as follows:
Salaries of cardinals and ENJOYS. 100000
Vatican guards and gendarmes. 70, 500
Army officers ........................ 10000
Iapal servants ............... 1850
Prelates in attendance ............ 5000
Library, museum, galleries. etc. $4,000
Household, garden, and stable ex-
penses -. ...................... 1900
Expenses of secretary of state $4,000
Personal expenses of the Pope $500
Repairs at St. Peters, Rome :. 10000
Charities ........ ................. 125. 900
Contingent expenditures and loss
es ..e..,,, .............. ........... $4,000