The Vatican has announced a positive balance of 9.7 million for the year 2005, the highest in the last eight years, despite expenses incurred during the change of popes. The cost of the funeral of John Paul II and the conclave that elected Benedict XVI added up to some 7 million, while the new pope gave each of his 2,663 employees and 1,429 retired staff a gift of 1,000 on his election. However, income from the Vatican Museums was at a record high of 45.6 million from 3.8 million tickets sold in 2005, while Peters Pence (money donated by Catholics around the world to the Holy See each 29 June) amounted to over 47.2 million a 15 per cent increase on 2004 figures. Vatican radio was the only loser in the balance sheet, incurring costs of 23,5 million. The station makes no money from publicity, both for ideological reasons and because its audience - scattered across the globe but somewhat unquantifiable - does not interest advertisers.