Pope Leo XIV has given his first one-on-one interview to Crux senior correspondent Elise Ann Allen as part of her new biography of the pontiff. Source: Crux.
Titled León XIV: ciudadano del mundo, misionero del siglo XXI, or “Leo XIV: Citizen of the World, Missionary of the XXI Century,” the book will be published in Spanish by Penguin Peru on September 18.
English and Portuguese editions of the book will be released in early 2026. Select excerpts of the Pope’s interview will be released in Spanish and English on September 14, ahead of the book’s publication.
Since his election to the papacy on May 8, the first North American pope and the first pope to hold Peruvian citizenship has emerged as a quiet personality who is cautious but decisive.
His interview with Allen, conducted in two 90-minute sessions in July, is the first he has given since stepping into his new role as leader of the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics.
“A new chapter in the history of the Catholic Church is about to begin. With the election of Robert Prevost as Leo XIV, the world is preparing to discover him and the traces of his past that will illuminate the direction his pontificate will take,” said a press release from Penguin Random House announcing the book and the interview yesterday.
The book, the statement said, introduces the Pope to the world by tracing “a complete and unprecedented profile of Pope Leo XIV, from his childhood in Chicago to his years as a missionary in Peru and his key role in the Vatican.”
Looking to the future, Leo shares his perspective on being the first American and Peruvian pope, his understanding of the role of the papacy, and the importance of building bridges of dialogue.
Pope Leo also offered his perspective on key internal Church matters such as the clerical sexual abuse crisis, synodality, the role of women in the Church, the inclusion of LGBTQ+ Catholics, and the importance of ecumenism and interreligious dialogue.
FULL STORY
Leo gives first exclusive interview to Crux correspondent for new bio (Crux)
