Santa maria novella area
Gondi chapel santa maria novella.
Pope Pius II
Pope Pius II (Latin: Pius Secundus; 18 October 1405 – 14 August 1464), born Enea Silvio Piccolomini , was an Italian priest of the Roman Catholic Church and the 211thPope from August 19, 1458 until his death in 1464.[1]
Early life
[change | change source]Pius II was born at Corsignano, which is near Siena.[2] He was the oldest of 18 children.[3]
He studied at the University of Siena.[2]
He was ordained in 1446.[2]
Bishop
[change | change source]In 1447, Pope Nicholas V made Piccolomini Bishop of Trieste.[2] In 1450, he was made Bishop of Siena.[3]
Cardinal
[change | change source]In 1456, Pope Calixtus III raised Bishop Piccolomini to the rank of cardinal.[2]
Pope
[change | change source]Cardinal Piccolomini was elected pope in 1458.[4] The pope chose to be called "Pius" because of the adjective pious which recurs in the phrase "pius Aeneas"[5]
