Editing Pope John II (section)

== Early life ==
[[File:Roma San Clemente Chorschranken.jpg|thumb|A monogram of John II on a marble slab in St. Clement's Basilica]]
Mercurius was born in [[Rome]], son of Praeiectus. He became a priest at [[Basilica di San Clemente|St. Clement's Basilica]] on the [[Caelian Hill]],<ref name="ce-john" /> and even before becoming pope he had commissioned work for the basilica and made generous donations.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hAJCDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA167 |page=167 |title=The Roman Martyrs: Introduction, Translations, and Commentary |series=Oxford Early Christian Studies |first=Michael |last=Lapidge |author-link=Michael Lapidge |publisher=Oxford University Press |year=2017 |isbn=978-0-19-253935-9}}</ref> The basilica still retains memorials of "Johannes surnamed Mercurius";<ref name="ce-john" /> he donated sculpted balustrades  (''[[Pluteus (sculpture)|plutei]]'') and carved marble ''[[Latticework|transennae]]'', grates or screens that partitioned the space without blocking light.<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dNMuDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA232 |pages=224–36 |chapter=Sixth-Century Art and Architecture in 'Old Rome': End or Beginning? |first=Joan Barclay |last=Lloyd |title=The Sixth Century: End or Beginning? |series=Byzantina Australiensia |editor1-first=Pauline |editor1-last=Allen |editor2-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Jeffreys |publisher=Brill |year=2017 |isbn=978-90-04-34470-9}}</ref> A reference to "[[Presbyter]] Mercurius" appears on a fragment of an ancient [[ciborium (container)|ciborium]], and his [[monogram]], in the style of the sixth century, is found on several marble slabs that enclose the ''schola cantorum''.<ref name="ce-john" />