Career
He was the brother of Pope Innocent XI. Innocent XI opened his sainthood cause and this has allowed for him to be known as a Servant of God. Giulio Maria Odescalchi was born in 1612 in Como to Livio Odescalchi and Paola Castelli Giovanelli. He is also a relative of Carlo Odescalchi - future Servant of God.
His father died in 1626 and his mother died of the plague in 1630.
Pope Alexander VII appointed him as the Bishop of Novara at the behest of Benedetto, who had resigned from that post. Odescalchi served as bishop until his death at the age of 54 in 1666.
This conferred the title of Servant of God upon him.