On September 14, Pope Leo XIV will be 70 years old. He is the youngest pontiff of the 21st century, since Benedict XVI was elected at the age of 78 and Francis at 76. On the occasion of this anniversary, I invite you to reflect - as a historian and author of the book History of the Popes in the 20th Century - on the first words of his pontificate in the historical context of the present time.

At the political level, the world today is experiencing a hopeful process, thanks to the spread of democracy to more and more countries, despite the disturbing presence of some dictatorial regimes and the rise of authoritarian populism. Nevertheless, in the 21st century we find ourselves immersed in a divided geopolitical status , in which the United States continues to struggle to impose the values that should guide the world.

At the societal level, in the most advanced societies of the European Union, Great Britain, the United States, Canada and Australia, a large and growing issue of people declare themselves to be non-religious or unaffiliated with an organized religion. While the process of secularization has been increasing in the West, the opposite phenomenon of desecularization has been on the rise in Africa, Asia and the Americas. Consequently, in most countries of the world, religion continues to occupy an important place in the lives of ordinary people.

Faced with the political and social challenges of today's world, two days after his election, on May 10, Leo XIV referred to the beginnings of the Social Doctrine of the Church in a speech to the high school of Cardinals: "Pope Leo XIII, with the historic encyclical Rerum novarum, confronted the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution; and today the Church offers everyone a patrimony of social doctrine to respond to another industrial revolution and to the advances of artificial intelligence, which pose new challenges for the defense of human dignity, justice and work."

Since the day of his election, on May 8, the most repeated word has been peace. Three days later, in his first Sunday address, the Pope addressed to the people gathered in St. Peter's place a few words against war: "In today's dramatic scenario of a third world war in parts, as Pope Francis has affirmed on more than one occasion, I too address the great people of the world, repeating the ever timely appeal: Never again war! I carry in my heart the sufferings of the beloved Ukrainian people. Let every effort be made to achieve a genuine, just and lasting peace as soon as possible. May all prisoners be released and the children be able to return to their families. I am deeply saddened by what is happening in the Gaza Strip". On Friday, August 22, the pontiff asked all Catholics around the world to join in a workshop of prayer and fasting for peace. In addition, Leo XIV offered the Vatican to host peace talks on the Ukrainian War.

With regard to the Social Doctrine of the Church, it is worth mentioning the American pontiff's references to work in contemporary society. In an audience with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See on May 16, Leo XIV expressed this concern: "In the changing times we are living through, the Holy See cannot exempt itself from making its own voice heard in the face of the many imbalances and injustices which lead, among other things, to conditions unworthy of work and to societies that are increasingly fragmented and conflictive.

In my opinion, the pope has been deeply concerned, from the day of his election until today, about the precariousness of peace in the world. On another level, one could place the social question in reference letter the world of work and the challenges posed by artificial intelligence. Everything seems to indicate that the first encyclical will deal with these and other issues that concern Catholics and all people of good will. Time to time.