Benziger Brothers, 1879. Cloth bound hardcover of The Life and Acts of Pope Leo XIII, Preceded by a Sketch of the Last Days of Pius IX and the Origin and Laws of the Conclave by Rev. Joseph E. Keller, Editor.

Illustrated with black and white woodcut plates and inline illustrations too.

Three part book, opening with a biography of Pius IX, the longest-reigning pope in history, ruling from 1846 to 1878, a period marked by immense upheaval and the final loss of the Papal States. Followed by a history on the Conclave that resulted in the election of Pope Leo XIII. Lastly, a biography and history of Leo's first year in the papacy.

Pope Leo XIII, born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci, served as head of the Catholic Church from 1878 to 1903, leaving a profound impact through his engagement with the challenges of modernity. He is best remembered for his encyclical Rerum Novarum (1891), which laid the foundational principles of modern Catholic social teaching by addressing the plight of industrial workers, advocating for their rights to fair wages and the formation of unions, while simultaneously critiquing both unchecked capitalism and atheistic socialism. His intellectual rigor also led him to revive Thomism as the official philosophy of the Church and to promote Marian devotion, earning him the title "Rosary Pope" for his numerous encyclicals on the rosary.

Good condition. Covers worn. Rear fly leaf lower corner torn away. Back cover interior hinge end paper cracked, but intact. Previous owners' markings inside the front cover. Pages foxed. Solid book with shelf wear.