Editing Pope Stephen III (section)

==Early career ==
A [[Greeks|Greek]]<ref>Fentress, E. "Cosa V", p. 89. 2003</ref> born in [[Sicily]], Stephen III was the son of a man named Olivus.<ref name="m369">Mann, pg. 369</ref> Coming to [[Rome]] during the pontificate of [[Pope Gregory III]],<ref>DeCormenin, pg. 197</ref> he was placed in the [[San Crisogono|monastery of St. Chrysogonus]], where he became a [[Benedictine monk]].<ref name="m369"/> During the pontificate of Pope Zachary, he was ordained a priest, after which the pope decided to keep him to work at the [[Lateran Palace]]. Stephen gradually rose to high office in the service of successive popes, and was at the bedside of the dying [[Pope Paul I]] as powerful factions began manoeuvring to ensure the [[Papal selection before 1059|election]] of their own candidate in late June 767.<ref name="m369"/>