Pope Leo XIII in His Carriage (1898)
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.
Director: William K.L. Dickson
![]() |
Leo XIII as self |
![]() |
Count Pecci as self |
![]() |
Francesco Salesio Della Volpe as self |
| Directing | William K.L. Dickson | Director |