Explanation: While he was the first pope born in the 19th century, Gioacchino Pecci was born in Carpineto Romano, a town near Rome, not in the city of Rome itself.

Explanation: Gioacchino Pecci was born into an aristocratic family. His father was a Colonel in Napoleon's French Army, and his mother, Anna Francesca Prosperi-Buzzi, was a descendant of the Italian leader Cola di Rienzo.

Explanation: The move to the Jesuit Collegium Romanum in Rome occurred in 1824 after the death of their mother, not their father.

Explanation: His exceptional academic performance, particularly a presentation on papal judgments, drew the attention of Vatican officials, and he subsequently earned doctorates in theology, civil law, and Canon Law in 1836.

Explanation: Pecci's first priority in Benevento was to restore public order by taking decisive action against banditry and the Camorra, including arresting a powerful aristocrat. Only after establishing order did he turn to economic reforms.

Explanation: Demonstrating his direct approach to justice, Pecci personally visited the bakery, weighed the bread, and had any underweight portions confiscated and given to the poor.

Explanation: The post of Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium was a prestigious diplomatic role that was considered a stepping stone to the cardinalate. During his tenure, Pecci cultivated excellent relationships with King Leopold I and Queen Louise.

Explanation: Archbishop Pecci initiated the opening of the Belgian College in Rome in 1844. This institution would later host the Roman studies of the future Pope John Paul II beginning in 1946.

Explanation: After Pope Pius IX granted unlimited press freedom in 1847, Archbishop Pecci became the target of media attacks, which led to a decline in his popularity in Perugia.

Explanation: The council, aimed at reforming religious life, had the necessity for a 'Syllabus of Errors' as a key topic of discussion.

Explanation: He invested heavily in theological education by expanding the seminary, hiring prominent professors with a preference for Thomism, and persuading his brother, a renowned Thomist scholar, to teach there.

Explanation: Demonstrating his commitment to charity, upon being made a cardinal, he donated all funds that would have been used for celebrations to aid victims of recent natural disasters.

Explanation: When elevated to the College of Cardinals on December 19, 1853, Gioacchino Pecci was appointed as a Cardinal-Priest, with the titular church of San Crisogono.

Explanation: In response to the state takeover of Catholic schools, Cardinal Pecci adapted by adding secular subjects to his theological seminary and opening it to non-theologians, rather than taking a purely confrontational stance.

Explanation: Giuseppe Pecci, a renowned scholar, was appointed by Pope Pius IX to help prepare for the First Vatican Council, keeping his brother Cardinal Pecci well-informed about the event.

Explanation: In August 1877, Cardinal Pecci was appointed Camerlengo, a crucial position responsible for the administration of the Holy See between the death of a pope and the election of a successor.

Explanation: While serving as Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium, Archbishop Pecci spent several weeks in England with Bishop Nicholas Wiseman to assess the state of the Catholic Church there.

Explanation: At the time of his birth on March 2, 1810, his hometown of Carpineto Romano was part of the Napoleonic French Empire.

Explanation: Gioacchino Pecci was born into an aristocratic family, and on his mother's side, he was a descendant of the notable Italian leader Cola di Rienzo.

Explanation: Following their mother's death in 1824, the Pecci brothers moved to Rome and continued their education at the Jesuit Collegium Romanum.

Explanation: While studying at the Academia dei Nobili, his excellent student presentation on papal judgments was attended by several cardinals, earning him awards and the notice of Vatican officials.

Explanation: Faced with widespread banditry and Mafia influence, Pecci's first move was to restore order by arresting the most powerful aristocrat involved and using his troops to neutralize other criminals.

Explanation: He took a direct, hands-on approach to corruption by personally visiting the accused bakery, verifying the weight of the bread, and distributing the confiscated, underweight bread to the poor.

Explanation: In 1843, he was appointed Apostolic Nuncio to Belgium, a key diplomatic role that was considered a traditional path to being named a cardinal.

Explanation: During his time as nuncio to Belgium, Archbishop Pecci initiated the opening of the Belgian College in Rome in 1844, an institution that would later educate a future pope.

Explanation: Initially popular, Archbishop Pecci saw his popularity decline after 1847 when the newly freed press began to attack him and his residence.

Explanation: The provincial council, aimed at reforming religious life, featured the necessity for a 'Syllabus of Errors' as a key point of discussion.

Explanation: He showed a strong commitment to theological education by enlarging the seminary, hiring prominent professors with a preference for Thomism, and convincing his brother, a noted scholar, to teach there.

Explanation: His charitable works included founding homeless shelters for various groups and establishing branches of a 'Bank, Monte di Pietà' to provide low-interest loans to the poor.

Explanation: Upon his elevation to the College of Cardinals, he was appointed a Cardinal-Priest with the titular church of San Crisogono.

Explanation: Instead of simply protesting, Cardinal Pecci took a pragmatic approach by adapting his seminary, adding secular subjects to its curriculum and opening it to non-theological students.

Explanation: Pope Pius IX appointed Giuseppe Pecci, a noted scholar, to help with the preparations for the First Vatican Council, which convened in 1869.

Explanation: In August 1877, Pope Pius IX appointed him Camerlengo, the cardinal responsible for administering the Holy See during a papal interregnum.

Explanation: While serving as nuncio to Belgium, he traveled to England and spent several weeks with Bishop Nicholas Wiseman to meticulously review the condition of the Catholic Church in that country.

Explanation: At the time of his death in 1903, Pope Leo XIII's 25-year reign was the third-longest, following only Saint Peter and Pius IX. The reign of John Paul II, which would later surpass Leo XIII's, had not yet occurred.

Explanation: The Papal States were dissolved in 1870 with the unification of Italy, before Leo XIII's election in 1878. Consequently, he was the first pope since Stephen II in the 8th century to have no temporal power over them.

Explanation: Following his death in 1903, Pope Leo XIII was first interred in the Vatican Grottoes. His remains were moved in 1924 to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, his cathedral church as Bishop of Rome.

Explanation: A significant factor in Cardinal Pecci's election was the belief among many cardinals that his advanced age and frail health would result in a short pontificate, making him a suitable transitional figure.

Explanation: Upon his election, Gioacchino Pecci stated that he chose the name Leo XIII in veneration of Pope Leo XII, whom he admired for his focus on education and his diplomatic efforts with foreign governments.

Explanation: He experienced several health issues, including a persistent hand tremor from an earlier medical procedure and a serious inflammation of a cyst that required surgery late in his life.

Explanation: The official cause of Pope Leo XIII's death was pneumonia followed by hemorrhagic pleurisy, which developed after he contracted a cold.

Explanation: His long life spanned two centuries; born in 1810 and dying in 1903, he holds the distinction of being the first pope born in the 19th century and the first to die in the 20th.

Explanation: At the time of his death, Leo XIII's reign was surpassed only by Peter and Pius IX. John Paul II's reign later surpassed his as well. Pius X was his successor and had a shorter reign.

Explanation: The Papal States were dissolved in 1870, prior to his election. Consequently, his entire pontificate was conducted without temporal power over these territories, a central aspect of the 'Roman Question' he inherited.

Explanation: Initially buried in the Vatican Grottoes, his remains were moved in 1924 to the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, his cathedral church as the Bishop of Rome.

Explanation: Many cardinals voted for Pecci believing his age and frail health would lead to a short, transitional pontificate, making him a compromise candidate.

Explanation: He chose the name Leo XIII out of veneration for Pope Leo XII, whom he admired for his focus on education and his diplomatic engagement with foreign governments.

Explanation: After contracting a cold that progressed to pneumonia, his condition worsened, and the official cause of death was pneumonia followed by hemorrhagic pleurisy.

Explanation: Living to the age of 93, Pope Leo XIII is recognized as the oldest verified pope to have served in the papal office.

Explanation: Considered a great diplomat, Pope Leo XIII was instrumental in restoring the Church's prestige after the loss of the Papal States and successfully improved relations with several major European powers.

Explanation: He improved relations with Russia through diplomatic gestures, such as sending a representative to the Tsar's coronation, and by strategically distancing the Vatican from alliances that were unfavorable to Russia.

Explanation: The policy was largely unsuccessful; it displeased French monarchists, created political division within the French Church, and did not prevent the eventual repeal of the Concordat in 1905.

Explanation: He continued the policies of his predecessor, maintaining the self-imposed 'incarceration' and insisting that Italian Catholics should not participate in Italian elections or hold elected office.

Explanation: These were all significant actions taken by Pope Leo XIII concerning the Catholic Church in the United Kingdom, demonstrating his active engagement with the region.

Explanation: This religious act had significant political implications, as it coincided with the Catalan national day and influenced the burgeoning Catalan nationalist movement.

Explanation: Relations between the Pope and Prince Ferdinand deteriorated significantly, culminating in Ferdinand's excommunication after he permitted his son's conversion to the Orthodox faith.

Explanation: These were two of his significant contributions to the Catholic Church in the United States, demonstrating his admiration for and focus on the country.

Explanation: American newspapers were critical of Pope Leo XIII, with some cartoonists depicting him as a fox trying to gain control over American public schools.

Explanation: He took several actions concerning Latin America, including convening the First Plenary Council and publishing the encyclical *In plurimis* on slavery abolition and the Apostolic Letter *Trans Oceanum* on ecclesiastical structure.

Explanation: He was a strong supporter of evangelization, sanctioning missions to Eastern Africa and approving the establishment of missionary groups to provide pastoral care for Italian immigrants in the Americas.

Explanation: As a skilled diplomat, Pope Leo XIII managed to improve the Vatican's relations with several major European powers, including Russia, Germany, France, and Britain.

Explanation: His forward-looking approach and support for social welfare encouraged Germany's Catholic Centre Party, which helped lead to informal compromises and a subsidence of the anti-Catholic attacks of the *Kulturkampf*.

Explanation: In his memoirs, Emperor Wilhelm II described their relationship as friendly and trustful, though he recalled disagreeing with the Pope's suggestion that Germany should be the 'sword of the Catholic Church'.

Explanation: His policy of urging French Catholics to 'rally' to the Third Republic backfired, displeasing monarchists and creating a political division that ultimately weakened the Church's influence in France.

Explanation: He largely continued the policies of Pius IX, maintaining the self-imposed status of a 'prisoner in the Vatican' and upholding the prohibition on Catholic participation in Italian national politics.

Explanation: Among his significant actions for the UK, he restored the Scottish hierarchy in 1878 and elevated the influential theologian John Henry Newman to the cardinalate in 1879.

Explanation: His 1881 proclamation of the Virgin of Montserrat as Patron of Catalonia, timed to coincide with the Catalan national day, had political resonance and influenced the growing nationalist movement.

Explanation: The relationship soured and ultimately broke when Prince Ferdinand permitted his son and heir, Crown Prince Boris, to convert to the Orthodox faith, an act which Pope Leo XIII strongly condemned and for which he excommunicated Ferdinand.

Explanation: He showed great interest in the U.S. Church, founding the Catholic University of America via a pontifical charter in 1887 and elevating the influential Archbishop of Baltimore, James Gibbons, to the cardinalate.

Explanation: The reaction was critical, with newspapers accusing him of trying to gain control over American public schools, as illustrated by a political cartoon from the era.

Explanation: In 1888, Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical *In plurimis* to the bishops of Brazil, which specifically addressed the abolition of slavery.

Explanation: He was a strong supporter of missions, sanctioning efforts in Eastern Africa and approving the establishment of the Missionaries of St. Charles Borromeo to provide pastoral care for Italian immigrants in the Americas.

Explanation: The encyclical *Rerum novarum* addressed social inequality and justice, outlining the rights of workers and affirming property rights, which led to Pope Leo XIII being called the 'Social Pope' and 'Pope of the Workers'.

Explanation: This 1879 encyclical was foundational for the revival of Thomism, establishing it as the normative system for the training of priests and the education of laity in universities.

Explanation: These were two key initiatives to further the revival of Thomism: the establishment of the Pontifical Academy and the commissioning of a critical edition of Aquinas's complete works.

Explanation: Prompted by letters from Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, he issued the encyclical *Annum sacrum*, decreeing the consecration of the human race to the Sacred Heart and encouraging related devotions.

Explanation: While the encyclical did emphasize the importance of scriptures, its influence was later highlighted by Pope Pius XII in his encyclical *Divino afflante Spiritu*, not by Pope Pius XI.

Explanation: The encyclical *Orientalium dignitas* was dedicated to the opposite purpose: the preservation and promotion of the distinct liturgical traditions of the Eastern Catholic Churches.

Explanation: He earned the title 'Rosary Pope' by issuing a remarkable eleven papal encyclicals on the rosary, emphasizing its spiritual importance more than any of his predecessors or successors.

Explanation: A central theme of *Rerum novarum* was its critique of the extremes of both socialism and unregulated capitalism, proposing a path that upheld the rights of labor while also defending the right to private property.

Explanation: The encyclical introduced the principle of subsidiarity into Catholic social thought, which advocates for social and political issues to be dealt with at the most immediate or local level that is consistent with their resolution.

Explanation: *Rerum novarum* was a landmark document that addressed social inequality, outlining the rights of workers to fair wages, safe conditions, and trade unions, establishing the foundation for modern Catholic social doctrine.

Explanation: The 1879 encyclical *Aeterni Patris* was the foundational document for the revival of Thomism, establishing the theological system of Thomas Aquinas as the official and normative philosophy of the Catholic Church.

Explanation: To support the revival of Thomism, he established the Pontifical Academy of St. Thomas Aquinas and also commissioned a critical edition of Aquinas's complete works.

Explanation: Following requests from Sister Mary of the Divine Heart, Pope Leo XIII issued the encyclical *Annum sacrum* and decreed that the consecration of the entire human race to the Sacred Heart of Jesus should take place.

Explanation: *Providentissimus Deus* was a significant document for Catholic theology that emphasized the crucial importance of the Bible for theological study.

Explanation: This encyclical was dedicated to protecting and promoting the unique liturgical traditions of the Eastern Catholic Churches, demonstrating his commitment to the diversity within the universal Church.

Explanation: He earned this title for his unprecedented promotion of the rosary, issuing a remarkable eleven papal encyclicals on the topic, more than any other pontiff.

Explanation: *Rerum novarum* introduced the principle of subsidiarity, which holds that social and political issues should be addressed at the most local level capable of resolving them.

Explanation: Although he elevated 147 cardinals during his long pontificate, Pope Leo XIII never exceeded the established limit of 70 members in the College of Cardinals at any one time.

Explanation: The term 'in pectore' (in the breast) refers to a practice where a pope creates a cardinal secretly, reserving the public announcement of the name for a later time, a practice utilized several times by Leo XIII.

Explanation: Among the several saints he canonized, Pope Leo XIII elevated Clare of Montefalco and John Baptist de Rossi in 1881, and Rita of Cascia in 1900.

Explanation: During his pontificate, Leo XIII beatified three previous popes: Urban II in 1881, Victor III in 1887, and Innocent V in 1898.

Explanation: He named four Doctors of the Church: Cyril of Alexandria and Cyril of Jerusalem in 1882, John of Damascus in 1890, and Bede the Venerable in 1899.

Explanation: The elevation of Giuseppe Pecci to the College of Cardinals was based on his merit as a prominent Thomist theologian, not on nepotism.

Explanation: His appointments were notable for their international scope, including the first cardinals from Australia, Canada, and other nations, and for being based on merit, as in the case of his theologian brother, Giuseppe.

Explanation: An 'in pectore' appointment is one made secretly by the pope, with the name revealed at a later date. Pope Leo XIII used this practice on several occasions during his pontificate.

Explanation: Pope Leo XIII canonized Clare of Montefalco, Peter Claver, and Rita of Cascia, among others. Francis of Assisi was canonized centuries earlier, in 1228.

Explanation: Pope Leo XIII beatified three of his predecessors: Urban II, Victor III, and Innocent V.

Explanation: Pope Leo XIII named four Doctors of the Church, including Cyril of Alexandria, Cyril of Jerusalem, John of Damascus, and Bede the Venerable.

Explanation: His elevation to cardinal was based on his scholarly merit as a renowned Thomist theologian, not on family ties.

Explanation: To foster understanding with the modern world, Pope Leo XIII promoted the idea that science and religion are compatible, and he demonstrated this by opening the Vatican Secret Archives to scholars and refounding the Vatican Observatory.

Explanation: The text indicates Pope Leo XIII was a consumer of Vin Mariani, a cocaine-infused wine tonic, and was a semi-vegetarian who consumed eggs and milk, not a strict vegetarian who abstained from alcohol.

Explanation: These actions demonstrated his commitment to scholarly inquiry and transparency, promoting scientific and historical analysis within the Church.

Explanation: In July 1884, Pope Leo XIII held a private audience with the French author Jules Verne and his family, indicating his interest in contemporary cultural and scientific figures.

Explanation: While a popular story attributes the prayer's origin to a vision, a 1934 investigation found no proof, and contemporary sources from the time of the prayer's institution do not mention any such vision.

Explanation: As a tribute to Leo XIII's legacy, Cardinal Prevost chose the name Leo XIV, highlighting the enduring influence of the encyclical *Rerum novarum* on Catholic social teaching.

Explanation: He was a pioneer in media, being the first pontiff to have his voice recorded praying the Ave Maria and the first to be filmed by a motion picture camera in 1898.

Explanation: The film depicts Pope Leo XIII, played by Giancarlo Giannini, in several scenes supporting Mother Cabrini's work in the United States.

Explanation: The medal and the refounding of the Vatican Observatory symbolized the opposite: his commitment to science and his desire to show that the Church embraces and promotes true scientific inquiry.

Explanation: He actively worked to show that science and religion could coexist, notably by opening the Vatican Archives to scholars, refounding the Vatican Observatory, and promoting Thomistic philosophy as a bridge between faith and reason.

Explanation: He demonstrated a strong commitment to scholarly inquiry by opening the Vatican Archives to qualified researchers and supporting the comprehensive 20-volume historical study of the Papacy by Ludwig von Pastor.

Explanation: One of Pope Leo XIII's first audiences included the young seminarian Giacomo Della Chiesa, who would go on to be elected Pope Benedict XV in 1914.

Explanation: The popular story about the vision lacks historical proof. A 1934 investigation found no evidence for it, and sources from the time the prayer was instituted make no mention of any such vision.

Explanation: Pope Paul VI paid tribute to Leo XIII, calling him 'great and wise' and his 'first teacher,' from whom he inherited a pastoral outlook.

Explanation: He was a media pioneer, being the first pontiff to have his voice recorded and the first to be filmed, with footage captured by W. K. Dickson in 1898.

Explanation: The actor Giancarlo Giannini portrays Pope Leo XIII in the 2024 film *Cabrini*.

Explanation: The medal, along with the refounding of the Vatican Observatory, symbolized his commitment to showing that the Church embraces and promotes true and solid science.