Pope Leo XIV received $8.65 from a long-forgotten PayPal account, delivered in person by Illinois State Treasurer Mike Frerichs during a visit to the Vatican.
According to Audacy, the pontiff, who took a vow of poverty as a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, joked about his attempts to resolve the issue over the phone before customer service disconnected him.
The small balance originated from a closed PayPal account tied to an old American bank account belonging to Robert Prevost before he became the first American pope. It had been transferred to Illinois’ unclaimed property division.
Frerichs personally handed over documentation allowing the pope to reclaim the funds during a recent trip with other Illinois officials.
The lighthearted moment highlights the universal frustrations many people face with financial institutions.
Pope, who earns a modest stipend as head of the Catholic Church, reportedly laughed and accepted the certificate.
The treasurer’s office has returned more than $2.5 billion to over 2.5 million claimants since 2015, with the papal payout representing a tiny fraction of that total.
This story has captured public attention worldwide. Illinois officials noted they had been working to reunite the funds with their rightful owner after Prevost’s election as pope last year.
