Born to a rich merchant family in Genoa, Paliuro was introduced into the church from an early age, His intelligence and eargerness were very welcomed by his superiors, his sharp tongue and egocentric arrogance not, as he presumed to be more educated in matters of faith than his teachers. Enraged by the muslim occupation of Jerusalem, he began preaching against them. This and his connections to the genouan merchant families earned him the attention of a Lasombra, who began tutoring him.