Marco Vigerio della Rovere

Emmanuele Vigerio della Rovere was born in Savona in 1446, the son of Urbano Vigerio and Nicoletta Grosso della Rovere, a niece of Pope Sixtus IV. Vigerio studied Christian theology at Savona. He joined the Conventual Franciscans while his grand-uncle Francesco della Rovere (the future Pope Sixtus IV) was the Minister-General of the order. Upon joining the order, he changed his first name, which was originally "Emmanuele", to "Marco" in memory of his uncle, Marco Vigerio, Bishop of Noli. He was subsequently ordained as a priest. In 1471, he became studium of the Abbey of Santa Giustina in Padua and professor of theology at the University of Padua. In 1474, he became professor of theology at the Sapienza University of Rome. == Ecclesiastical career ==

On 6 October 1476, he was elected Bishop of Senigallia. == Works ==

As a theologian, Cardinal Vigerio wrote many works on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as works on Jesus' shroud and the spear of Longinus. His theology is thought to have influenced Raphael's famous painting Disputation of the Holy Sacrament; the cardinal appears on the right of the painting, with the Franciscan habit and a cardinal's hat. ==References==