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Pope Leo XIII in His Carriage (1898)

Pope Leo XIII in His Carriage (1898)

Documentary
Release Date: 1898, September 25
Directors: William K.L. Dickson
Countries: United States of America
Production: American Mutoscope & Biograph
Cast: Leo XIII, Francesco Salesio Della Volpe, Count Pecci

Overview:

Filmmaker WKL Dickson, one-time right hand man to Thomas Edison, the 'Wizard of Menlo Park', here captures an even greater eminence, Pope Leo XIII. This was one of a series of films that exploited Dickson's unique, hard-won access to the Pontiff. Here the Pope arrives in a carriage and bestows a blessing. Whether this blessing was intended for the camera or for the audience beyond it, capturing it on film was a great prize for Dickson.