Editing Pope John XIII (section)

==Family and early career==
Born in [[Rome]], John was the son of another John, who was a [[bishop]]. It has been conjectured that his father was the Roman noble John Crescentius, a member of the [[Crescentii]] family who had married into the family of Count [[Theophylact I of Tusculum]]. If so, his father had previously been a duke, and possibly even appointed consul, prior to his ordination as bishop.<ref name="Mann, pg. 286">Mann, p. 286</ref> Consequently, John was probably the brother of [[Crescentius the Elder]] (the ''[[Patrician (post-Roman Europe)|patricius romanorum]]''), as well as Stephania, lady of [[Palestrina]] (who married Count Benedict, rector of the [[Sabina (region)|Sabina]]) and Marozia, who married Count [[Gregory I of Tusculum]].<ref>Mann, pp. 285–286; Gregorovius, pp. 358–359</ref>

Brought up at the [[Lateran palace]], he was a member of the ''[[Schola cantorum (papal choir)|schola cantorum]]'', and his career during that time saw him pass through a number of positions, including that of ''[[Ostiarius]]'', [[Reader (liturgy)|Reader]], [[Exorcist]] and [[Acolyte]] before reaching the ranks of [[Subdeacon]] and then [[Deacon]].<ref>Mann, pp. 283–284</ref> After leaving the schola, he took an active part in papal administration, serving in the [[Chancery of Apostolic Briefs]] under popes [[Pope John XII|John XII]] and [[Pope Leo VIII|Leo VIII]]. He also served as [[Vatican Library|Librarian of the Holy Apostolic See]] in 961.<ref name="Mann, pg. 284">Mann, p. 284</ref> At some point he was appointed as the bishop of [[Narni]], as which he participated in the [[Synod of Rome (963)]] which deposed [[Pope John XII]], as well as the [[Synod of Rome (964)]] which saw his restoration.<ref>Gregorovius, p. 358</ref>