The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-12-05
PICTURES OF THE POPE.
A Remarkable Series Secured For the
Biograph al Vatican.
Exhibited at a Gathering Of Church Dlgnl-
taries al Baltimore Lately.

There was exhibited last week, be-
fore a gathering OF church dignitaries,
in Baltimore, the most remarkable Sc
ries of motion-pictures ever made.
They were taken by the Biograph CONS
pany, whose wonderful machine Is
permanent feature of the entertainment
at Keith's new theatre, and were all of
Pope Leo XIII.
When His Holiness Pope Leo XII.
posed for the biograph, a series OF
II 900 pictures of him was taken.
Two OF the series show His Holiness
i'm his sedan chair as his bearers were
carrying him through the logia or cor
ridor leading from the Vatican TO the
Sistine Chapel, whittier he went the
morning OF April 20, this year, to cele-
brate pontifical mass and to give an au7
dience to band of pilgrims. The third
series made on the same day, shows
the Pontiff driving i'm his landau In the
gardens of the Vatican, and bestoWihs
the apostolic blessing. In the fouIth
series. taken some weeks later HIS
Holiness is walking in the garden op-
Dosite the door of the villa, and the last
series shows the Holy Father aiiBntinS
from his carriage and sitting on the ola
stone bench in the garden, and again
bestowing a blessing. All display the
brilliant encourage or Papal state tne
Swiss, Noble and Palatine guards, the
gendarmes and firemen with wondertul
vividness.
An American, William Kennedy
Laurie Dickson, took these pictures. lie
was four months in Rome before ne had
made much more progress than 10
learn i'm a general way where the Nati-
can was. and his mission would nave
failed had il not been for the frlenuly
aid OF Count Pecci, the Pope's nepheW'
and an officer i'm the Popes householu'
BY careful explanation of his purpose,
Together with letters Of recommendas
tion from men of high standing in the
church. Mr.. Dickson established claim
TO recognition. His success Is without
precendent i'm the history of the Vatican.
Nothing like it had ever been done be-
| fore. nor had any such idea been enter
| tanned even. for the policy OF the Nau-
| can seems to have been 10 hold alooi
from actual contact Win the Worlu out-
| side
In eight years the Pope had not had
pictlre taken The strain OF Sittins
| before a camera was unnecessary, they
| said and he himself was loath To 90 IL
/ Yet. here comes an American VINO Il
! not even "A communicate of the church
and asks permission To take lLOO0 win
! a machine that roars like locomotive
and REQUIRES elaborate rehearsals in or
der that the work be done successfully
English. French and German com
| panies were trying for "A like achieve
| ment but the American company won
| and now has an absolute monopoly; Du
| Mr.. Dickson did not receive the coveted
| permission until he had given solemn
| guarantee that neither his Biograpf
| nor Mutoscope pictures would be ex
| hibited in any place or at any tim'
without permission of the church au
| thorities.
! Everything was carefully explained
| TO His Holiness, and, having assured
! himself that he need not fatigue nm
| self unduly, he co-operated heartily II
the undertaking. He asked many ques
tions about the various processes am
| took no pains to conceal his Keen IN
terest i'm all that was going on.
The first series was taken while h
was on his way TO the Sistine chapel
In the evening he drove in his landau
over carefully marked route, and ha
the footmen let down the top of hi
carriage, the first time In 20 years. ~
also dispensed with his umbrella, Whlc
ordinarily ne would have held over III
head as a protection against the rays q
| the sun.
AS his carriage appears, the pictur
shows all kneeling. and Monsignor dell
Vope, as he kneels, kisses the apostoli
ring. The carriage stops in front OF tn
machine. and the Pope, raising his rigf
hand. with the index and middle finger
extended. waves slowly and graceful
the apostolic benediction.
Some weeks after this Mr.. Dickso
was I'm the Vatican gardens taking pit
lures of the guards, when the Hol
Father appeared. Instantly all knel
Straightaway the Pope called Mr.. Dicl
son TO him. The. photographers had 1u
received from London some prints
the series he had taken I'm April i
showed these to the Pope and the
pleased His Holiness immensel
"Wonderfull Wonderful! he e.
claimed He sat for a half hour tall
ing about the pictures All the viii
he held Mr. Dicksons hand, pressing
: affectionately from time to time. The
I he had the photographer show hi
, where he should walk, and, with h
, nephew by his side. hut not leaning {
the count he walked briskly along oi
, of the garden paths and posed 4
! the admirable pictures of the four
? series.