The Australian cardinal spent 47,000 euros on furnishings and decoration for his new office and a rented apartment in an exclusive part of central Rome.

The leaked list of expenses also shows 2,508 euros being spent at Gammarelli’s, a historic Rome tailors which has provided silk and lace robes for popes, cardinals and bishops since 1798.

As head of the newly-formed Secretariat for the Economy, Cardinal Pell reportedly awarded his right-hand man, a fellow Australian, a tax-free monthly salary of 15,000 euros.

The expenses emerged from confidential Vatican documents leaked to L’Espresso, an Italian current affairs magazine.

There was speculation that they were leaked in order to discredit Cardinal Pell, whose reform efforts have reportedly made him powerful enemies within the Curia, the Vatican’s governing body.

He has long been known to enjoy the trappings of power and privilege – he is one of the few cardinals still to don the “cappa magna”, a long silk scarlet cloak that has to be carried by an assistant.

The leaked documents showed that the former rugby player has come up against fierce opposition within the Vatican hierarchy to the financial reforms he has implemented on behalf of the Pope.

The Vatican angrily condemned the leaking of the documents but did not deny their authenticity.

“Passing confidential documents to the press for polemical ends or to foster conflict is not new, but is always to be strongly condemned, and is illegal,” said Federico Lombardi, the Vatican spokesman.

“The article makes direct personal attacks that should be considered undignified and petty. It is untrue that the Secretariat for the Economy is not carrying on its work with continuity and efficacy.”