Pope Leo XIV marks feast day as Vatican launches campaign to help erase its $57-68 million deficit
ROME — Pope Leo XIV led a special celebration on Sunday, marking a feast day observed by the Catholic Church to encourage donations from the faithful. The Vatican, under the leadership of the first American pope, introduced a new campaign urging ordinary Catholics to contribute towards resolving the deficit faced by the Holy See.
Pope Leo presided over Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica, commemorating the Feast of Saints Peter and Paul, and reiterated his call for unity and communion among all Christians.
Traditionally, on the feast day of July 29, churches worldwide conduct special collections for Peter’s Pence, a fund that supports the operations of the Catholic Church’s central government and the charitable activities of the pope.
To tackle the Holy See’s structural deficit of 50 million to 60 million euros ($57-68 million), the Vatican launched a promotional campaign featuring a video, poster, QR code, and website for donations via various methods. The aim is to leverage an American-style fundraising approach led by the Chicago-born Leo to sustain the Vatican’s administrative functions.
