Vatican Leases Historic Domus Paolo VI Villa to Hotel Operator Under Pope Leo

Pope Leo XIV has approved the lease of the Domus Paolo VI building, a former residence for bishops and cardinals near Rome’s Pantheon, to a hotel operator. The decision reverses the stance of his predecessor, Pope Francis, who opposed commercial use of the property. Vatican asset manager Apsa reported that the contract is awaiting final signature.

Cardinals reportedly wrote letters to the Pope urging a halt to the plan, and the building’s long‑term residents have been evicted. In a related symbolic move, the Vatican will issue a new euro coin featuring the current Pope, undoing Francis’s change that displayed only the papal coat of arms.