Most of Italian believers profess Catholic faith. Officially, 99.6% are considered Catholics, that is, almost all of Italy. Religion is not particularly interesting for modern Italian townspeople: according to statistics, about 15% of the population attends churches.
Country of many religions
Italy is also home to Protestants (about three hundred thousand people from Piedmont), Judaists (thirty-five thousand people, “scattered” throughout the country, are citizens of Rome, Turin, Genoa, Florence, Venice and Livorno).
Despite the fact that the Catholic Church is officially separated from the country, it has a much greater influence on the minds of Italians than the state of Italy. Religion still influences many spheres of life of Italians - it’s not for nothing that the independent state of the Vatican is located here, headed by the Pope, the ruler of all the world’s Catholic churches.
The international role and authority of the Vatican is as strong as it was several centuries ago. As the owner of the powerful radio station and newspaper Osservatore Romano, the pope successfully leads religious, semi-religious and secular organizations, communities and unions.
The question “What is the religion in Italy today?” would baffle any citizen of the country, regardless of social status and education. In this country there are about 850 types of ecclesiastical and other institutions subordinate to the Catholic Church.
"Catholic Action"
The liaison and facilitator is an organization called Catholic Action. The mission of Catholic Action agents is to instruct parents on how to raise children, monitor the literary preferences of Italians, and recommend Catholic media and video materials that the Church welcomes. One of the duties of Catholic Action agents is to obstruct those citizens who intend to join a non-Catholic union or decide to participate in a strike.
Religion in Italy now largely depends on the spiritual enlightenment of the Italians themselves. A special role in religious education is played by Catholic priests, most of whom also teach in secondary schools. educational institutions. The influence of clergy on village children is especially great.
But Italy is not only famous for Catholic Action. Religion is certainly important, but the influence of secular life on the Vatican's political position cannot go unnoticed. The Pope, for example, became famous as the first Catholic patriarch in history to proclaim the struggle for peace as the overriding goal of the church.
It must be said that villagers are much more devout than city dwellers. Each village has its own patron saint, who can ward off certain kinds of troubles from people. St. Paul, for example, neutralizes the bites of poisonous snakes, and St. Lucia heals eye diseases. provides protection from thunderstorms, and more recently even patronizes artillerymen. Archangel Gabriel (the same one who brought the good news to the Mother of God) received the status of patron of radio stations...
Heavenly "patrons"
Belief in heavenly patrons gave rise to a new custom - bringing “votive gifts” (ex-voto) to church. These small, hand-made paintings are a kind of expression of gratitude to the saint for the help he provided. Most often they depict “miracles” that have already happened or are about to happen thanks to the miraculous intervention of a patron. Sometimes the role of paintings is played by wax images of healed body parts.
Also interesting is the peasant custom of depicting religious symbols on tools and household items. Crosses, faces of saints and other attributes can be seen on a baby's crib and pottery, on a weaving shuttle and a pet's collar...
“Islam is thriving in Italy...”
Islam and Italy? Arab peoples, has really taken root here. In any case, Alessandra Caraggiula, an Italian sociologist, has no doubt about this. Her report “Capital Islam” is devoted to this topic.
According to Alessandra's estimates, more than one and a half million Muslims live in Italy (in Rome and the Roman region, for example, there are about 100 thousand people professing Islam), who have come here from all over the world. The female scientist also reported that only 16% of Italian Muslims were seen attending services in official mosques. But the traditional (Muslim) brings together 40% of Muslims living in Rome and the region.
Strange as it may seem, the mention of Islamism sounds, but according to historical information, direct relation Sicily and southern Italy belong to Islam. The Muslim religion, brought here in the 9th century by Arab conquerors, is returning again.
The modern Italian state divides all believers into Catholics and non-Catholics. The second group includes Protestants, Jews and Muslims. Representatives of the listed religious communities have the same rights as Italians professing the Catholic faith.
Catholicism predominates, the center of which is the Vatican, located in the capital of the country. In addition, Protestant and Jewish communities operate freely in Italy, as well as a rapidly growing Muslim community.
About 90% of the Italian population is Catholic. At the same time, it is difficult to classify local residents as fanatical believers, but respect for the church and its institutions is enormous! To this day, you can meet a priest or nun on the street almost more often than a policeman or an official; churches are maintained in perfect condition, and their ministers participate in all public affairs and enjoy unquestioned authority. Thousands of saints are revered (with new ones constantly appearing), each of whom serves as the heavenly patron of one or another settlement, countless different masses and rituals are held annually, days of patron saints of a particular place or profession are celebrated, hundreds of religious fraternities, men's and women's clubs of a religious orientation, etc. work. Even the names of people here clearly emphasize the piety of the population - according to the census, about 42% of women in the country are named Maria (more often in various combinations), and about 26% of men are Francesco. But this is only the external side of the issue, as if emphasizing the country’s religious tolerance.
The Italian constitution guarantees complete freedom of religion. The Slavs living in the north, as well as the descendants of Albanian and Greek refugees who moved to Italy in the 15th-16th centuries, profess Orthodox rituals. In all major cities there are Jewish communities, there are many Protestants in the northern regions, and Muslim mosques can be found everywhere next to ancient Christian temples. At the same time, the Law of God in public schools is taught only at the level of additional education.
Despite the fact that the country is the center of Catholicism and there are about 45 thousand (!) active churches and monasteries, which are visited not only by local residents, but also by millions of foreigners, echoes of many ancient beliefs are noticeable in Italian society. In Sicily, for example, Arabic and even Greek elements are organically woven into the canons of the Christian church, and many saints bear a clear “pattern” of the Roman pantheon. Various “wizards”, healers and even witches work completely legally throughout the country. At the same time, the Italians themselves are quite superstitious and have special respect for the dead - in addition to all the rituals required in this case, any funeral or wake turns into a kind of ritual of communication with the departed. Refusal to attend such a ceremony on the part of a family member or friend can even serve as a reason for a complete severance of the relationship, no matter how strong the ties were previously. All this is most clearly visible in the provinces - the cities of Italy, at first glance, are cosmopolitan and completely neutral. But this is only at first glance - in reality, the same morals reign here, only slightly diluted with the gloss of modern civilization.
By the way, Italian superstition extends to black cats, the devil (what could we do without him?), numbers 13 and 17, their own blood and many other things. It is not customary to talk about this, but it is simply impossible to meet a person who is glad that this Friday falls on the 13th.
In Rome there is the Vatican - the residence of the Pope with the huge St. Peter's Basilica (54.3).
The land of Italy is rich in cultural monuments different eras. Florence is called an “open air museum”. Venice grew up on the islands of a shallow sea bay in the Adriatic Sea. Instead of streets in this city there are canals (54.4).
The landscapes of Italy combine bright sun and thick shadows. Relax on the sea and in the mountains, see Italian cities and museums attract millions of tourists.
Countries of the Balkan Peninsula. Greece occupies the south of the Balkan Peninsula, the island of Crete and many small islands. This is a country of mountains that stretch towards the sea, forming peninsulas and capes. The mountains are young, their growth is accompanied by frequent earthquakes. Islands rise from the bottom of the Aegean Sea - the remains of the Santorini volcano. Its eruption caused terrible damage to the ancient civilization of Europe on the island of Crete 3.5 thousand years ago.
The land of Greece is not rich. Almost all of it is composed of limestone. Forests have survived only in the north of the country. Sheep and goats graze on the mountain slopes. There are no large rivers. Greece is one of the sunniest countries in Europe. Summer temperatures usually exceed 30°. Wheat crops often suffer from drought, orchards, tobacco plantations, vineyards.
Greece has developed both industry and Agriculture. For thousands of years, the Greeks have been trading leather, olives and raisins, olive oil and wine. The Greek navy is one of the largest in Europe. An important source of income is tourism. The capital of the country is Athens.
The Acropolis rises above the city - the remains of an ancient fortress with temples olympian gods. The main one is the Parthenon. Greece is the birthplace of the Olympic Games.
In northern Greece, ancient Christian churches and monasteries, including those on the famous Mount Athos. Greece is the birthplace of Orthodoxy, from this country the Christian religion came to Rus'.
Balkan countries. In the west of the Balkan Peninsula, the Dinaric Mountains, composed of limestone, stretch from north to south. The countries of Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia are located in the mountains. In the north of Serbia there are significant plains through which the Danube flows. Among the mountains lie large and beautiful lakes. Some countries access the Adriatic Sea. Numerous islands stretch along its coast. In some places, streams of fresh water from karst springs shoot into the sea underwater. In Slovenia, where the name “karst” comes from, and other countries there are many deep and large caves.
The Balkan countries, inhabited mainly by the South Slavs, emerged as independent states in the 90s of the 20th century. Catholics predominate in Slovenia and Croatia, and Orthodox Christians predominate in Serbia, Montenegro and Macedonia. There are many Muslims in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Conflicts between peoples different religions and levels of development have more than once led to clashes. Albania is a Muslim country. It is the poorest agricultural country in Europe.
What seas and oceans is South-West Asia washed by? What world religions do you know? Where and when did Islam originate? What is Jerusalem famous for?
Southwest Asia is a mosaic of countries, peoples and religions. Most of all there are Muslim countries: eleven Arab countries, as well as Turkey, Iran, Azerbaijan, and Afghanistan. Christians live in Georgia, Armenia, and predominate in Cyprus. The ancient Jewish religion is widespread in Israel.
Georgia and Azerbaijan in the Caucasus share a border with Russia. These Transcaucasian countries, together with Armenia, are members of the CIS, and in the past were republics of the USSR. The countries have a rich culture; ancient monasteries and fortresses have been preserved in them. The population of the valleys has long grown grain crops, grapes, fruits, and in Azerbaijan, cotton. Residents of mountainous areas are engaged in sheep breeding. There are numerous resorts on the Black Sea coast of Georgia. The capital of Georgia is Tbilisi, a picturesque city in the valley of the Kura River and on the neighboring mountain slopes.
Near the capital of Azerbaijan, Baku, on the coast of the Caspian Sea, there are deposits of high-quality oil.
The main religion in Italy, which according to various sources is adhered to by 90 to 97% of the country's inhabitants, is Catholicism, which was the state religion until 1976.
Now the church is constitutionally separated from the state, but religion continues to play a huge role in the life of the country's population, and many religious figures take part in governing the state. About a third of all parishioners of the Roman Catholic Church actively attend church, perform all rituals, take part in church services, and 74% of the country's residents say they believe in God.
Italy can be called center of the Roman Catholic Church, since it is located on the territory of the country Vatican- a dwarf religious state within Rome, associated with Italy. This is the residence of the head of the church, the Pope. On its territory there is the main Catholic cathedral in the world - St. Peter's Cathedral, one of the most important centers of pilgrimage among adherents of the Catholic religion.
In Italy, there are special laws regulating the interaction of the Roman Catholic Church with the authorities, for example, the “New Concordat”, adopted in 1984 and proclaiming the equality of all residents of Italy, regardless of their religion. However, according to the constitution, the Catholic Church receives a number of advantages over other faiths - for example, it receives part of the taxes received from citizens.
Italians cannot be called fanatics of Catholicism, but the church enjoys great respect among the residents. Priests or monks are often found on city streets; churches receive sufficient financial support to maintain them in perfect condition. Totally located in the country more than 45 thousand Catholic churches, most of which are open to the public. People celebrate many religious holidays - in addition to Christmas and Easter, in Italy great importance have the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, Epiphany, the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ, All Saints' Day and other religious dates. At the same time, many Italians combine faith in God with superstition.
In Italy there are quite large Orthodox communities located in the north. In the southern part of the country, the number of Muslim immigrants from Arab countries is increasing. In Sicily, the Muslim diaspora has existed since the era of Islamic rule. Since ancient times, there have been Jewish communities in Italy in which Judaism is widespread. The societies of Jehovah's Witnesses and Bible Students are quite popular in the country. About 0.1% of the state's residents are practicing Buddhists, most of them visitors from other countries.
The predominant religion in Italy is Catholicism.
More than 95% of Italians are Catholics.
The center of the Catholic world is the city-state of the Vatican (it houses the residence of Pope John Paul II), which is located within the Italian capital of Rome, on the hill of Monte Vaticano. The Vatican is the residence of the head of the Catholic Church, the Pope, the international center of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican was established as an independent state in 1929 in accordance with the Lateran Agreements between the Italian government and the Pope.
Italy is a country in which the Catholic Church is unusually strong and this is not surprising: from 1929 (when Italy recognized the State of the Vatican (St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Gardens and a number of buildings in Rome and its environs) under the supreme sovereignty of the Pope), until November 26 In 1976, Catholicism was considered the state religion of Italy.
In Italy, at present, the Church is officially separated from the state, and regulates its relations with the state through special agreements and laws, in particular the “New Concordat” of 1984. However, the Italian Constitution defines the country's main religion: “The State and the Catholic Church are independent and sovereign in their respective spheres” (Article 7). That is, the Italian Constitution divides all religions into two categories: “Catholic” (Article 7), with which the state concludes a Concordat, and non-Catholic religions (Article 8). The motivation for expanded cooperation between the state and the Catholic Church in Article 9 of the Concordat is formulated as follows: “The Italian Republic, recognizing the value of religious culture and taking into account that the principles of Catholicism are the historical heritage of the Italian people...”. While the Italian Constitution establishes that citizens have equal rights without distinction of religion (Article 3), that all religious confessions are equally free before the law (Part 1 of Article 8), it contains separate provisions regarding the Catholic Church and other churches: that the State and the Catholic Church are independent and sovereign in the sphere belonging to each of them, and their relations are “regulated by the Lateran Treaties” (Article 7); that non-Catholic denominations have the right to create their own organizations according to their statutes, since they do not contradict the Italian legal order, but their relations with the state are determined by law on the basis of agreements with bodies representing these religions (parts 2, 3 of article 8 of the Italian Constitution).
The vast majority of Italians go to church periodically, and on holidays such as Christmas and Easter Catholic churches The whole country is always full of people.
