He studied in Rome where he was offered his first Curial appointment by Cardinal Giuseppe Pizzardo. Rising through the Vatican dicastery (then the Sacred Congregation for Seminaries and Universities, now the Congregation for Catholic Education), he served as its Undersecretary from 1969 to 1988. He was also advanced to monsignor, becoming a Papal Chamberlain in 1961 and a Prelate of Honour in 1971.
On 6 October 1988, Pope John Paul II named him titular bishop of Populonia and consecrated him on 6 January 1989. He later served as president and Secretary of various Vatican organs. He was raised to archbishop on 9 July 1994.
He passed the normal retirement age of 75 for Curial positions in 2004, though this is frequently waived. After the death of Cardinal Jan Pieter Schotte, Cardinal Marchisano was named on 5 February 2005 to succeed him as President of the Labour Office of the Apostolic See, retaining his other positions, while Archbishop Angelo Comastri was named to the unusual position of Coadjutor Archpriest of Saint Peter's and as Marchisano's successor Vicar General for the State of Vatican City, and President of the Fabric of Saint Peter.[2]
Cardinal Marchisano was one of the cardinal electors who participated in the 2005 papal conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI. In a funeral Mass for Pope John Paul II celebrated the day after his funeral, Cardinal Marchisano revealed that he had been cured of an illness of the throat after the late pope had prayed and touched him.[3]
On 31 October 2006, Pope Benedict named Angelo Comastri to succeed Cardinal Marchisano as Archpriest of St Peter's Basilica.[4] On 3 July 2009, Marchisano resigned as president of the Labour Office of the Apostolic See and as president of the Permanent Commission for the Custody of Historical and Artistic Monuments of the Holy See.[5]
Marchisano died in Rome on 27 July 2014 at the age of 85.[9][10] At the 28 June 2018 consistory, Pope Francis assigned the diaconate church of Santa Lucia del Gonfalone which Marchisano previously held to Aquilino Bocos Merino.[11]