Giovanni Andrea Mercurio

Giovanni Andrea Mercurio was born to a poor family in Messina in 1518.[1]

As a young man, he worked for the notary for the Archdiocese of Messina.[1] Following an incident with that notary, he decided to move to Rome.[1] There, he entered the court of Cardinal Giovanni Maria Ciocchi del Monte, the future Pope Julius III, as his minoribus secretarius.[1]

On 20 February 1545 he was elected Archbishop of Manfredonia.[1] He was transferred to the Archdiocese of Messina on 30 May 1550.[1]

Pope Julius III made him a cardinal priest in the consistory of 20 November 1551.[1] He received the red hat and the titular church of Santa Barbara dei Librai on 4 December 1551.[1] He opted for the titular church of San Ciriaco alle Terme Diocleziane on 18 August 1553.[1]

He was a participant in the papal conclave of April 1555 that elected Pope Marcellus II; the papal conclave of May 1555 that elected Pope Paul IV; and the papal conclave of 1559 that elected Pope Pius IV.[1] On 19 January 1560 he opted for the titular church of San Marcello al Corso.

He died in the Apostolic Palace on 2 February 1561.[1] He was buried in San Marcello al Corso.[1]

While bishop, he was the principal consecrator of: Paolo de Cupis, Bishop of Montepeloso (1546); and Filippo Roccabella, Bishop of Macerata (1546).[2]