Pope Paul III: The Sixteenth Century Miracle Born into an Italian family, Alessandro Farnese soon to be known as Pope Paul III was a very remarkable man. Coming into the world in 1468, Alessandro received a very good education during his youth. He studied in Rome under Pomponius Laetus, and also in the gardens of Lorenzo de' Medici at Florence. He had a love for art and elegant literature which was proper for his period. At first, Alessandro wanted a diplomatic career, but with his mothers urging he looked for one in the church instead. In the church his rise was rapid. And i