the "annales genuenses" of caffaro di caschifellone, a contemporary of bishop syrus, states that pope innocent was present when syrus was elected bishop of genoa, but that he was consecrated in the same year by pope innocent at sanctus egidius (near the later city of montpellier). archbishop jacobus de varagine, however, seems to say that innocent consecrated syrus bishop of genoa when he was staying in genoa. at the time of his election as bishop, syrus was already a cardinal of the holy roman church, having been named by innocent himself earlier in the year 1130. in any case, pope innocent and his court were transported to southern france by the galleys of the genoese navy, for which the pope was grateful. it was one of the considerations in his naming the bishops of genoa to the rank of archbishop.