De Primis was born in
Catania,
Italy. (His surname may be rendered as de' Primi; De Prima; De Primo; De Primi; or De Prim; and he was often called Giovanni di Sicilia). In 1422, he entered the
Benedictine Abbey of Santa Giustina in
Padua. The date of his ordination is uncertain. In 1427, he served as
definitor and scribe of his order and was elected as abott of the monastery of Santa Paolo fuori le Mura in Rome where he served until 1434. In 1439, he was named abbot of Santa Giustina. He was seminal in securing the peace between
Alfonso V of Aragon and
René of Anjou and was recognized for his efforts on 22 April 1444 by
Pope Eugenius IV who named him as
apostolic nuncio to the
Kingdom of Trinacria (Sicily). On 28 May 1444 he founded the
University of Catania. On 16 December 1446 he was elevated to the cardinalate as
Cardinal-Priest of Santa Sabina. On 3 February 1447 he was named
Administrator of Catania, and on 2 December 1448 he was named as bishop of the diocese. It is not certain if he ever received episcopal consecration or took possession of the diocese. He participated in the
papal conclave of 1447 which elected
Pope Nicholas V. De Primis died in
Naples on 21 January 1449, where he is buried at the Benedictine Cassinese church of Santa Severino. ==References==