Giovanni Andrea Mercurio
Giovanni Andrea Mercurio (1518–1561) was an Italian Roman Catholic bishop and cardinal.
Biography
Giovanni Andrea Mercurio was born to a poor family in Messina in 1518.[1]
As a young man, he worked for the notary for the Archdiocese of Messina.[1] Following an incident with that notary, he decided to move to Rome.[1] There, he entered the court of Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, the future Pope Julius III, as his minoribus secretarius.[1]
On February 20, 1545, he was elected Archbishop of Manfredonia.[1] He was transferred to the Archdiocese of Messina on May 30, 1550.[1]
Pope Julius III made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of November 20, 1551.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of Santa Barbara dei Librai on December 4, 1551.[1] He opted for the titular church of San Ciriaco alle Terme Diocleziane on August 18, 1553.[1]
He was a participant in the papal conclave of April 1555 that elected Pope Marcellus II; the papal conclave of May 1555 that elected Pope Paul IV; and the papal conclave of 1559 that elected Pope Pius IV.[1] On January 19, 1560, he opted for the titular church of San Marcello al Corso.
He died in the Apostolic Palace on February 2, 1561.[1] He was buried in San Marcello al Corso.[1]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Entry from Biographical Dictionary of the Cardinals of the Holy Roman Church