Age: 74.

Salary: He has no personal income, but any donations made by members of the Church go to the Elemosineria Apostolica, a fund for the Pope's own charitable interests - the figure is a secret. Rights to the English-language version of his forthcoming volume of essays, Crossing the Threshold of Hope, are estimated to be bringing in around pounds 4m. A recording of him saying the Rosary sold more than 60,000 copies in its first two days on sale in Spain, although Vatican Radio was paid only recording costs by the Divusca record label, saying: 'The issue of making money is problematic for us.' Vatican income is controlled separately by the Administration of the Patrimony of the Apostolic See, a council of cardinals, and its accounts are expected to break even this year, after a loss of about pounds 60m in 1993. Theoretically, the Pope has control of all the temporal goods of the Catholic Church, which would make him the richest man in the world, although he does not choose to exercise this power.

Hours: Full-time position.

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Perks: Political and personal influence over the lives of at least 944,578,000 baptised Catholics, about 18 per cent of the world's population. Use of the 'Popemobile', at present a Chevrolet Cheyenne pick-up truck, converted at a cost of about pounds 60,000. Never having to go shopping - any personal items required by the Pope from the Vatican supermarket are collected by aides.

Home: A suite of three rooms within the Vatican Palace: a bedroom, bathroom and study.

(Photograph omitted)