DELMARE, PAOLO MARCELLO. - Theologian, born in Genova in 1734 into an Israelite family, died on 17 Feb. 1824. Baptized in 1753, ordained priest in 1758 in Roma, where he devoted himself to works of the ministry. He held (1783) the chair of theology at Siena, and from 1789 that of Sacred Scripture at Pisa.
In the controversy then being debated concerning the lawfulness and extent of communicatio in sacris between the united Armenians and the dissidents, he endeavoured to prevent such communication from being extended beyond the sharing of the liturgical calendar, defending to this end the censure of the University of Siena against the contrary opinion, in his publication: Principes théologiques pour servir de préservatif contre les erreurs de l'Examen (Siena 1786). Bound to Jansenism, he promoted and defended the edition of Gourlin’s Catechismo universale, 3 vols., Genova 1779 (placed on the Index on 20 Jan. 1783). He compromised himself still further with the publication of the Praelectiones de locis theologicis Senis habitus, s. n. t., placed on the Index on 9 Dec. 1793 and condemned by the Holy Office on 5 March 1795. In 1817, however, he made a full retraction of his errors.