Marongio-Delrio, Diego

MARONGIO-DELRIO, DIEGO. - Archbishop of Sassari, b. at Bannari on 13 Sept. 1819, d. at Sassari on 5 Oct. 1905. A distinguished canonist and professor at the University of Sassari, M. also carried on a notable political activity as a municipal councillor, president of the provincial council and deputy in the Subalpine Parliament from Dec. 1849 to 1854, when he resigned in protest against the approval of the Siccardi laws, which he had vigorously fought as subversive of the rights of the Church.

The Sardinian electors gave him large majorities also in the elections of 1857, but the government, to avoid the danger of a strong Catholic opposition in Parliament, had priests with the care of souls declared ineligible and included canons among them: since M. was in fact a canon of the cathedral of Sassari, his election was not validated. He then returned to his studies and to the priestly ministry, until, in 1871, Pius IX created him archbishop of Sassari. M. governed the archdiocese for more than thirty years, admirable for his pastoral zeal and deep spirit of piety. When the faculty of theology at the University of Sassari was suppressed, he founded a theological Studium at the archbishopric. Leo XIII repeatedly insisted that he accept the cardinal's hat, which the precious services he had rendered made him worthy of, but he always declined the very high honour. Two volumes of his pastoral letters are noteworthy (Milan 1893-94).

Renzo U. Montini