ALL SAINTS CELEBRATED IN AUGUST Saints celebrated on the 18th of August WELCOME! ALEXANDER VI., POPE ⬅️ Saintly Popes - Index Alexander VI (Rodrigo Borgia) was born at Xativa, near Valencia, in Spain, January 1, 1431; he died in Rome, August 18, 1503. His parents were Jofre Lançol and Isabella Borja, sister of Cardinal Alfonso Borja, later Pope Callixtus III. The young Rodrigo had not yet definitely chosen his profession when the elevation of his uncle to the papacy (1455) opened up new prospects to his ambition. He was adopted into the immediate family of Callixtus and was known henceforward to the Italians as Rodrigo Borgia. Like so many other princely cadets, he was obtruded upon the Church, the question of a clerical vocation being left completely out of consideration. After conferring several rich benefices on him, his uncle sent him for a short year to study law at the University of Bologna. In 1456, at the age of twenty-five, he was made Cardinal Deacon o...