Camillo di Pietro was born in Rome. His father's family was one of merchants of the countryside that became rich and entered the patriciate of Terni and Spoleto; his mother was from the Dukes of Sermoneta, who were eminent members of the Roman aristocracy and descendants of Pope Boniface VIII. He was the second of the four children of Domenico di Pietro and Faustina Caetani. He was a nephew of Michele di Pietro, who served as Cardinal and Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem.[1]
He was educated at the Collegio Romano in Rome where he studied the humanities and philosophy. He entered the Seminario Romano where he studied theology and finally the Collegio di Protonotari Apostolici, Rome where he received a doctorate utroque iuris (in both canon and civil law) on 10 May 1829. He received the subdiaconate on 19 May 1839 and the diaconate on 2 June 1839.[2]
He entered the priesthood as domestic prelate on 15 January 1829. He served as Prelate adjunct of the Congregation of the Tridentine Council from 1829 until 1832. He was created Protonotary apostolic. On 13 December 1830, he pronounced, before the cardinals gathered for the conclave, the oration for Pope Pius VIII. He was appointed as Apostolic delegate in Orvieto in 1832, and in Spoleto from 1834 until 1835. Pope Gregory XVI recalled him to Rome and named him Auditor of the Sacred Roman Rota on 6 April 1835. He was confirmed in his post by motu proprio of 27 April 1835. He took the oath on 16 November 1835 and entered the office on the following 23 November. He resigned the post on 19 August 1839. He was ordained to the priesthood on 16 June 1839.[2]
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