Early career A GreekFentress, E. "Cosa V", p. 89. 2003 born in Sicily, Stephen III was the son of a man named Olivus.Mann, pg. 369 Coming to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Gregory III,DeCormenin, pg. 197 he was placed in the monastery of St. Chrysogonus, where he became a Benedictine monk. During the pontificate of Pope Zachary, he was ordained a priest, after which the pope decided to keep him to work at the Lateran Palace. Stephen gradually rose to high office in the service of successive popes, and was at the bedside of the dying Pope Paul I as powerful factions began manoeuvring to ensure the election of their own candidate in late June 767.
Early career A GreekFentress, E. "Cosa V", p. 89. 2003 born in Sicily Stephen III was the son of a man named Olivus.Mann, pg. 369 Coming to Rome during the pontificate of Pope Gregory III,DeCormenin, pg. 197 he was placed in the monastery of St. Chrysogonus, where he became a Benedictine monk. During the pontificate of Pope Zachary, he was ordained a priest, after which the pope decided to keep him to work at the Lateran Palace. Stephen gradually rose to high office in the service of successive popes, and was at the bedside of the dying Pope Paul I as powerful factions began manoeuvring to ensure the election of their own candidate in late June 767.