Pope Leo XIV Receives His PayPal Balance Back – The Check Came Personally from Illinois

Background: A Phone Call in Chicago

Leo XIV confirmed the story to Treasurer Frerichs. "They just hung up. It's a true – albeit slightly embellished – but true story," the Pope said. He was thus echoing the phrasing from the original APA headline, which had described the incident as a "lost PayPal balance."

The episode developed into a small media stir that reached as far as the USA. Frerichs used his trip to Rome to symbolically hand over the remaining balance to the Pope. On the online platform Bluesky, he wrote: "His bank may have hung up on Pope Leo last month, but no phone was needed in the Vatican today." He was alluding to the contrast between the failed phone connection to Chicago and the direct meeting in the Vatican.

According to Frerichs, the amount is real money from a PayPal account that Leo XIV used before his elevation to Pope in May 2025. No further details were disclosed about the original opening of the account or the specific bank connection in Chicago. Frerichs also commented on the handover on X, the former Twitter platform.

Handover in Rome

The action sheds light on how authorities and financial institutions handle unusual customer requests. Even though the process is harmless, it shows how difficult it can be for even prominent individuals to conduct everyday banking transactions remotely. The Pope had already been offered the option of visiting the branch at the bank in Chicago – but this has not yet happened.

The story caused amusement on social media. Users viewed the handover as a charming example of a well-functioning, personal solution in contrast to a failed telephone inquiry. The incident joins several anecdotes about the first months in office of Leo XIV, who was elected Pope in May 2025.

It remains open what will happen with the PayPal account now. According to Frerichs, the amount was fully handed over to the Pope. Further steps, such as a formal account closure or a chargeback, were not publicly disclosed. Nothing was known about a possible visit by the Pope to a Chicago branch at the time of the handover.

Reactions and Open Questions

The meeting between Frerichs and Leo XIV took place in the Vatican and, according to the treasurer, lasted only a few minutes. It was a friendly, brief meeting where the money was handed over in cash, Frerichs reported. The Pope thanked him for his trouble and reiterated the story about the phone call with the bank.

Overall, the incident shows how an everyday banking mishap can become a small international event. While the Pope expressed himself calmly and humorously in public, Frerichs seized the opportunity for a symbolically charged appearance: a US state, a Pope, and $8.65 as a connecting element.