Life
He was born to humble parents; his father was Lorenzo Antonini, of Canepina, near Viterbo, and his mother, Maria del Testa. He entered the Augustinian Order in June 1488. After a course of studies with the Augustinians at Viterbo, he was made a doctor of theology, and in 1506 became Vicar General of his Order. Upon the death of the Prior General, and, under the patronage of Pope Julius II, was confirmed by election as his successor at three successive General Chapters of the Order: in 1507, 1511 and 1515. Following this service to his Order, he was appointed to the bishopric of Viterbo, in addition to which he held several other benefices.
Antonini is famous in ecclesiastical history for the boldness and earnestness of the discourse which he delivered at the opening of the Fifth General Council, held in 1512, at the Lateran Palace.
In 1517 Pope Leo X, with whom he was also on the most cordial terms, made Antonini a cardinal, confided to him several sees in succession, employed him as legate on important missions, notably to Charles of Spain, soon to be Emperor. Leo gave him (in 1523) the title of Latin Patriarch of Constantinople. His zeal for the genuine reformation of ecclesiastical conditions prompted him to present to Adrian VI a Promemoria. He was universally esteemed as a learned and virtuous member of the great pontifical senate and many deemed him destined to succeed Pope Clement VII.
Read more about this topic: Aegidius Of Viterbo
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