Giovanni Ciocchi Del Monte (eventually Julius III) was a pope who ruled for five years in the mid-sixteenth century. Perhaps he is most famous today for creating what was described as one of the most notorious homosexual scandals in the history of the papacy. While still a cardinal, Julius became emotionally involved with Innocenzo, a teenaged, illegitimate son of a beggar-woman. After Julius met him in the streets, he was installed in the household of the cardinal's brother, who adopted him and gave him the family name. One of Julius III's first acts as pope was to appoint Innocenzo a cardinal.

Although church historians have attempted to label this relationship as strictly platonic, at least one ambassador stated emphatically that Innocenzo "shared the pope's bedroom and bed." Innocenzo was so incompetent that the pope had to create a special office for him with zero responsibility. Because of this appointment, Julius was mocked within Rome and throughout the various courts of Europe, with emissaries noting Innocenzo's coarse background and lack of sophistication.

Upon Julius III's passing in 1555, his paramour's influence waned. He was eventually incarcerated by papal order after separate incidents involving murder and rape. Although he was still officially a cardinal when he passed in 1577, his memorial was private and unattended. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the Del Monte family chapel in Rome.