In 1896, Pope Leo XIII made history as the first pope ever captured on film, a remarkable moment that brought the papacy into the modern era of communication. Filmed in the Vatican Gardens blessing the camera, Leo XIII’s image became an early symbol of the Church’s engagement with emerging technologies. His pontificate, however, is most remembered for Rerum Novarum (1891), the groundbreaking encyclical addressing the rights of workers and the responsibilities of capital, laying the foundation fo

Pope Leo on Sacred Scripture: “Sacred Scripture, which has been entrusted to the Church and is guarded by her, reveals its meaning and manifests its strength in the life and faith of the Church, above all in the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. For this reason, the Church continually meditates upon and interprets Scripture because it is the means by which we come to know the incarnate living Word of God who is Jesus Christ. Indeed, praying with Scripture opens the door for an intimate relation

Napoleon-contemporary, Pope Leo XIII was the earliest-born person ever filmed in 1896 at the age of 93 years old. Leo XIII was the Pontiff between 1878 and 1903. He brought a new spirit to the papacy by adopting conciliatory positions toward civil governments, supporting scientific progress, and addressing pastoral and social needs. During the last years of Leo XIII’s pontificate, until his death in 1903, there was a hardening of church policy and a more reserved attitude toward Christian democr