他先后在 Siponto总教区,Sapina和弗拉斯卡蒂两个罗马城郊教区任主教。1455年选举Alonso de Borgia为新教宗嘉禮三世时,因对罗马奧爾西尼家族和科隆納家族两大家族人选之间的竞争并不感兴趣,而使他成了另一候选。由于他的希腊背景,受到法国枢机Alain de Coëtivy的反对。“枢机们害怕的未必是他的希腊式的培养或者他的性格,而是他的禁欲主义和改革教会的热诚。”(Francis A. Burkle-Young)
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