Editing Pope Benedict XIII (section)

==Early life==
He was born in [[Gravina in Puglia]], the eldest of six sons of Ferdinando III Orsini, 8th [[Counts and dukes of Gravina|Duke of Gravina]]. A member of the [[Orsini family|Orsini]] of Rome, he was the third and last member of that family to become Pope after [[Pope Celestine III]] and [[Pope Nicholas III]]. At the age of eighteen he resigned his inheritance and entered the [[Dominican Order]] where he received the name of "Vincenzo Maria". He was ordained to the priesthood in February 1671.<ref name=op>{{Cite web |url=http://www.op.org/en/content/inquiry-process-canonisation-dominican-pope-benedict-xiii |title="Inquiry for the Process of Canonisation of the Dominican Pope Benedict XIII", Order of Preachers, February 24, 2017 |access-date=23 June 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812165421/http://www.op.org/en/content/inquiry-process-canonisation-dominican-pope-benedict-xiii |archive-date=12 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Through the influence of his family, he was named, by [[Pope Clement X]], Cardinal-Priest of [[San Sisto Vecchio|San Sisto]] on 22 February 1672 (allegedly against his will). He also lectured in philosophy at Brescia. Later he was [[bishop of Manfredonia]], [[bishop of Cesena]] and then [[archbishop of Benevento]]. After an [[1688 Sannio earthquake|earthquake in 1688]] and another in 1702, he organized relief efforts for the victims.<ref name=op/> He remained a close friend of a local mystic, [[Serafina of God]].