Pope Leo XIII (Italian: Leone XIII; born Gioacchino Vincenzo Raffaele Luigi Pecci; 2 March 1810 – 20 July 1903) was head of the Catholic Church from 20 February 1878 until his death in July 1903. Living until the age of 93, he was the oldest pope holding office (Benedict XVI became older (95) as Pope Emeritus), and had the fourth-longest reign of any pope, behind those of St. Peter, Pius IX (h..