Pope Leo XIII Walking Before Kneeling Guards

A rare early film capturing the man and not just the figurehead

These images of the Pope, one of a series of films shot by the enterprising WKL Dickson, capture the humanity as much as the holiness. It's a rare film in which the Pontiff refrains from giving out blessings. The Pope - aged 78 at the time of filming - leans heavily on his walking cane. In the second fragment of the film, the Pope is apparently surprised to see the cameraman yet again: but does his gesture imply irritation or amusement?