Religion in Italy

However, due to immigration, notably the influx of Muslims, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Buddhists and Hindus, as well as proselytism and secularization, religious pluralism in Italy has increased in the 21st century.

Italy also features a pre-Christian Jewish community, an autochthonous Protestant church–the Waldensian Evangelical Church and one of the largest shares of Jehovah's Witnesses in the world.

[7] According to a 2017 poll by Ipsos (a France-based research centre), 74.4% of residents were Catholic (including 27.0% engaged and/or observant), 22.6% were irreligious and 3.0% adhered to other religions.

[19] The Italian territory is divided into 225 Catholic dioceses (whose bishops have been organised, since 1952, in the politically influential[20][21] Episcopal Conference of Italy, CEI),[22][23] currently led by Cardinal Matteo Zuppi.

[39] The Jewish community of Milan, the country's second largest after Rome's, is the most international in character and composition, notably including a substantial number of Mizrahi Jews originating from Libya and the Middle East.

Massimo Introvigne, founder and director of CESNUR once predicted that, thanks to continued immigration from Eastern Europe, Orthodox Christians could soon become the country's second largest religious group, overtaking Muslims.

[42] Also Protestantism, especially in its Evangelical and Pentecostal forms, is on the rise: Introvigne recalls how Giorgio Bouchard, a Waldensian pastor, told him that "when he was born, the typical Italian Protestant was a man, lived in Piedmont, had a last name like Bouchard and was a Waldensian", while "today, the typical Italian Protestant believer is a woman, lives in Campania or Sicily, is named Esposito and is a Pentecostal.

"[43] Not surprisingly the Assemblies of God in Italy (150,000 members), the Federation of Pentecostal Churches (50,000) and several smaller Evangelical/Pentecostal denominations have the majority of their communities in the South.

Among the fastest-growing new religious denominations in Italy a special place is held by the Jehovah's Witnesses (who count around 414,000 faithful, including both members and other people regularly attending the Congregation's meetings).

[37][50] According to Caritas Italiana (the CEI's charitable arm), in 2023 the immigrant population was 48.2% Christian (26.8% Orthodox, 16.5% Catholic, 4.3% Protestant and 0.7% other), 34.2% Muslim, 3.3% Hindu and 2.8% Buddhist.

[37] According to the same source, in 2012 Italy was home to 850 "African Neo-Pentecostal churches", 750 foreign-language Catholic communities, 655 mosques or other Islamic houses of worship, 355 Orthodox parishes, 126 Buddhist temples, 60 Sikh ones and 2 Hindu ones.

[49][52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63] Most Sikhs currently reside and work in the agricultural sector in Emilia (mostly in the Parmesan cheese district), Lazio and Veneto.

[71] The Natale di Roma, historically known as Dies Romana and also referred to as Romaia, the festival linked to the foundation of Rome, celebrated on 21 April.

From this date, the Roman chronology derived its system, known by the Latin phrase Ab Urbe condita, meaning "from the founding of the City", which counted the years from this presumed foundation.

[37][74] Due to the lack of a single, coherent and statistically accurate source, the figures are to be taken with a grain of salt and sums do not necessarily add up.

[88] Italy is the third European Union member in terms of highest weekly church attendance rates after Poland and Ireland.

[93] After the unification of Italy, predominantly supported by secular and anti-clerical forces, and especially the capture of Rome in 1870 which marked the final defeat of the Papal States by the Kingdom of Italy and gave birth to the so-called Roman question over the temporal power of the Pope,[94] Catholics largely self-excluded themselves from active politics, while the few Protestants usually supported Italian unity.

Fascism persecuted religious minorities: in 1935 the Pentecostal faith was outlawed, through an order signed by undersecretary of the Interior Guido Buffarini Guidi,[98] and since 1938 Jews were targeted by the infamous racial laws and were later victims of genocide in the context of the Holocaust.

The Italian resistance movement saw the participation of Catholics,[99] Protestants (Waldensians were especially active in the Action Party)[100] and Jews (through the Jewish Brigade).

[106] Having an agreement with the Italian government is not needed in order to appoint chaplains in hospitals and jails and to be partially financed by taxpayers' money.

Attendance at a place of worship at least once a week per region
Italy is home to many of the world's largest oldest churches. In this picture, the Florence Cathedral , which has the largest brick dome in the world. [ 1 ] [ 2 ]
St. Peter's Basilica , viewed from the Tiber , the Vatican Hill in the back and Castel Sant'Angelo to the right, Rome . Both the basilica and the hill are part of the sovereign state of Vatican City , the Holy See of the Catholic Church .
Catholicism affiliation by macroregion
The Great Synagogue , Florence
The Mosque of Rome
Pisa Cathedral , a notable example of Romanesque architecture , in particular the style known as Pisan Romanesque [ 5 ]
St Mark's Basilica , one of the best known examples of Italo-Byzantine architecture [ 17 ]
Celebration of the 2777th Natale di Roma at the Circus Maximus
Milan Cathedral , the largest Italian church and the third largest in the world
The capture of Rome occurred on 20 September 1870, as forces of the Kingdom of Italy took control of the city and of the Papal States . After a plebiscite held on 2 October 1870, Rome was officially made capital of Italy on 3 February 1871, completing the unification of Italy ( Risorgimento ).
One of three original copies of the Constitution of Italy , now in the custody of Historical Archives of the President of the Republic . Freedom of religion is recognised, with "all religious denominations" having "the right of self-organisation according to their own statutes, provided these do not conflict with Italian law"; "[t]heir relations with the state are regulated by law, based on agreements with their respective representatives" (article 8). [ 105 ]