Juan Vicente Boo, Vatican expert and veteran correspondent, author of several works on the late Pope Francis, among others, offers us much more than a biography in his book,  *Leo XIV, the Pope of the New Era* (Espasa, 2026), on the eve of the arrival of Pope Leo XIV in Spain  . As someone well-versed in the intricacies of foreign policy, thanks to his diplomatic career in various countries, in this latest work he traces the historical trajectory of the era in which the Pontiff has lived. His contextualization is particularly insightful, allowing the reader to understand the inner workings of his high mission in a highly complex world where geopolitics pulls the strings, driving operations of attrition, disinformation campaigns, and a host of covert tactics used by certain factions to pressure the Holy Father or the Holy See, not to mention the internal ecclesial difficulties he will have to overcome.

Boo, in a meticulous work interwoven with evangelical reflections and references to the reality that surrounds us—the hegemony of social media and the undeniable dominance of AI—shapes the rich personality of Leo XIV with such precision that, although the author doesn’t explicitly state it, one perceives how Providence was preparing him to assume the Chair of Peter. Through the pages of this book, concrete examples from his life, from his birth and family background, reveal the Pope’s affectionate nature: a humble and simple man, with a sense of humor, prudent, attentive, humane, and possessing a great capacity for listening. The anecdotes and lesser-known episodes also show his approach to governance: patient yet energetic when it comes to making far-reaching decisions, while remaining approachable, sensitive, and merciful. Naturally, reference could not be made to his exceptional knowledge of religious and ecclesial life, given that he has had to perform highly responsible work in dicasteries important to the development of the Church, nor to his vast academic curriculum.

The rigorous research conducted by Juan Vicente Boo, which provides a wealth of information about the life of Leo XIV, is enriched by numerous references to various authors. These references allow the reader to perceive how the social and cultural environment already influenced the motivations, difficulties, and resolutions he addressed after his election as Pope. After the initial chapters, in which the reader becomes familiar with basic elements of his biography, his early steps as Pastor of the universal Church, the choice of his name, and his connection to some of his predecessors, the third chapter focuses on examining the “new challenges” he faced. This helps to understand his deep concern for a world in which many people, from a young age, are seduced by new technologies and the rise of AI, easily succumbing to these idols that distance them from God and their neighbor, dehumanize them, and leave them adrift in their passions. In this chapter, the author’s knowledge, gained from his time as a correspondent in the United States, of the intricacies and tactics employed by those who exert global dominance through large technology companies—”the new ‘lords’ of technofeudalism,” as he calls them—is evident.

The fourth chapter, “A World on Fire,” reveals its subject matter with its significant title: the numerous wars ravaging the earth. In it, we perceive Boo’s keen diplomatic analysis, explaining the hegemonic struggle and fight for survival between incompatible ideological models. It is clear that no progress has been made toward peace. And if, after the two world wars of the 20th century, the superpowers chose deterrence, espionage, and propaganda, in addition to waging bloody wars in third countries—all to avoid direct nuclear confrontation—today we still find ourselves facing a multipolar and ungovernable world with over a hundred ongoing conflicts and thousands of deaths. In this context, we see the Pope’s response in excerpts from recent homilies, which Juan Vicente Boo aptly includes. Furthermore, it offers a magnificent lesson in understanding politics and the various weapons used by the powerful, who also shoot to kill: manipulated images and deepfakes, decontextualized quotes, conspiracy theories, etc. Such is the impact of disinformation that church authorities have had to create strict transparency protocols to debunk rumors.

But it’s not all negative. This book offers a message of hope because there are remedies for this great tragedy. These are addressed in Chapter 5 and expanded upon in Chapter 6. The key, the master key: always returning to our first act of charity. The revival of faith among young people, among other lights shining in the darkness, demonstrates that God is alive, more alive than ever, so to speak. That Christ, in his Vicar, acts upon the Church, which is each one of us, reminding us that evil will not prevail against it. These are two beautiful chapters where we can draw on the richness of the Pope’s reflections, allowing us to give reasons for our faith and our hope. Don’t miss the selection of the Pope’s tweets included at the end, and you will also enjoy the gallery of images that illustrate the text. Thank you, Juan Vicente, for this magnificent work, which will do so much good and is already doing so much good.