Below is one of the most extraordinary videos you’ll see.
In the early 1890s, William Kennedy Dickson created one of the world’s first motion picture cameras in Thomas Edison’s laboratory in Menlo Park, New Jersey. Keen to show off the magical new technology, he traveled the world taking videos.
In 1896, just a few years after he had invented the device, he made history by taking a short film of Pope Leo XIII at the Vatican.
In honor of our newly elected American Pope, Pope Leo XIV, we'd like to share a historic video of his predecessor, Pope Leo XIII.
This film is historic for at least three reasons:
First, it’s the first film ever taken of a pope. Before that, there were only photos (of his immediate predecessor, during whose reign photography was invented) and paintings.
Secondly, born in 1810, Leo XIII was 86 years old at the time, making him one of the earliest-born individuals ever captured on film.
Lastly, the film captures what is probably the first papal blessing of a motion picture camera!
The latter half of the video below has an audio recording of Leo XIII singing Ave Maria in 1903.
Enjoy!