Philip Christopher was born in Kastellaun to a Catholic mother and a Protestant father. Through the influence of his Catholic uncle, who was a lord of the cathedral in Trier, in childhood he was already Catholic himself. He was educated at the Jesuit school in Trier, and by the age of 17 he was made a member of the cathedral, and was also made a member of those in Speyer and Mainz as well. He was made a Cathedral provost in 1604, and demonstrated himself to be a skillful negotiator and diplomat in sensitive controversies surrounding the archbishopric. Therefore he was recommended and in 1609 was made coadjutor to the bishop of Speyer, succeeding him in 1610.