Pope Leo XIV gave his first interview after being elected head of the Catholic Church in May. It was published on a Catholic website and was conducted by a journalist who is preparing a book about him.
Since his inauguration, the pope has emphasized that he will focus on several main themes - including social justice and the fight against poverty. He recalled that in the past he was a missionary in Peru, where he saw the problems of disadvantaged people up close.
In the interview, the pope draws attention to the "terrible and absurd" social division in modern society. He points out that about 60 years ago the income gap between CEOs and their employees was between 4 and 6 times. Today, however, this gap has grown to 600 times.
As an example of this inequality, the Pope mentioned billionaire Elon Musk, who is predicted to soon become the world's first trillionaire. "If this is the most important thing and if this is the meaning of life, then humanity is in great trouble," warns Leo XIV.
Although he acknowledged that many wealthy people support worthy causes through donations, the Pope believes that the scale of social inequality is "abnormal and unnatural." If it continues to grow, he said, it will lead to protests and riots around the world.
The Holy Father expressed hope for a quick end to the war in Ukraine. He also criticized the United Nations, saying that it has lost its ability to fulfill its original mission - to unite people.