CIANTES, GIUSEPPE-MARIA. - Dominican bishop, Hebraist, and theologian, b. in Rome in 1620, d. there on 24 Feb. 1670. He belonged to the convent of S. Maria sopra Minerva. Because of his knowledge of Hebrew, he was entrusted by the Pope with instructing the Jews of Rome (1626). He devoted himself to this zealously and fruitfully for 14 years, earning on 5 March 1640 promotion to the episcopal see of Marsico (Potenza), suffragan of Salerno. After revitalizing his diocese through a most zealous administration, in Jan. 1656 he resigned and returned among the Roman Jews.
Among the various writings he published, the following are remembered: two discourses against the Jews, De S.ma Trinitate... (Rome 1667) and De s.ma Christi Incarnatione... (ibid. 1668); the Hebrew translation of the first 3 books of the Summa contra Gentiles D. Th. Aq. (ibid. 1657), and a treatise, Della perfezione dovuta allo stato del vescovo... (ibid. 1669).