Marco Amleto Belelli, better known as Divine Otelma (Genoa, May 8, 1949), is an Italian esotericist, television personality, and politician.
Belelli self-defines as Count of Quistello, First Theurgist of the Church of the Living, Grand Master of the Theurgic Order of Elios, European President of the Ordre des Occultistes d'Europe (O.D.O.D.E.) and National President of the Ordine degli Occultisti d'Italia (O.D.O.D.I.), of the Centro Italiano di Studi Astrologici (C.I.S.A.) and of the Unione Astrologico-Occultista d'Italia (U.A.O.D.I.), Source of Life and Salvation, Dispenser of Archetypal Truth, Light of the Living.
Belelli attended the "Cristoforo Colombo" classical high school in Genoa. In 1965, he joined Giovane Italia (a student association affiliated with the MSI) and founded the student representative body of the Liceo-Ginnasio, along with Diego Meldi. In 1967, he enrolled in the Christian Democracy party, first becoming youth delegate for the "Alcide De Gasperi" section and later a neighborhood councilor. Subsequently, he also held the positions of provincial president and national councilor of Genoa for the Movimento Cristiano Lavoratori (which arose from a split from ACLI).
In 1975, he graduated in Political Science from the University of Genoa and won a scholarship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, allowing him to study at the Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI) in Milan, obtaining his final diploma in 1977.
Also in 1975, he approached the Radical Party, always declaring himself close to the positions of Marco Pannella. He would only deviate once in 1986, when he proposed an alternative motion to the historic radical leader. Even today, he is the secretary of the Radical Association "Libertà è Partecipazione" of Genoa and Savona.
In 1977, Belelli began his career as a magician. Under the stage name of Mago Otelma (derived from the inversion of his first name Amleto, later changed to Divino Otelma), he became famous for his appearances on various television shows (including Odiens, the Maurizio Costanzo Show, and Porta a Porta).
Belelli claims to believe in reincarnation, to embody God himself (hence, he uses the majestic plural in his public appearances), and to have previously been a priest of Atlantis, a female Pharaoh of Egypt, and a Roman priest belonging to the Quindecemviri sacris faciundis (the guardians of the Sibylline Books). He has often attacked the Catholic Church and the then reigning pope, John Paul II, calling him a "Polish sorcerer" and stating: "He is convinced he is the vicar of God. It does not seem so to us, because, if he were, we would obviously know it."
He founded the Theurgic Order of Elios and the Church of the Living, "a symbiotic church that brings together the principles of magic and religion" which "already gathers 20,000 followers and will eliminate or downsize all other cults." However, these figures are not confirmed.
In 1991, he founded the party Europa 2000. He ran in two districts in the 1992 elections, with a program based on the abolition of the Merlin Law and fighting against the privileges of the political class.
On July 10, 2003, he obtained a second degree in History from the University of Genoa, with a thesis on Millenarian Theories on the End of Times.
In March/April 2004, he participated in the reality show El castillo de las mentes prodigiosas, broadcast on the Spanish TV network Antena 3.
In 2006, Belelli obtained a bachelor's degree in Historical-Religious Sciences from the University La Sapienza of Rome.
In 2006, he released his first official CD, Il CD divino, featuring 15 songs, including Prendi la fortuna (submitted for the 2005 edition of the Sanremo Festival but then rejected). In Italy, the CD is produced by BIT Records. Otelma would later propose another song, Vivi la vita, for the 2008 edition of the Festival, but was rejected once again. Belelli called the decision "a shameful exclusion desired by the 'baudiana cupola.'"
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