Religion in Italy
Catholicism is by far the largest religious group in Italy. (Catholics make up 87.8% of the population, with 36.8% considering themselves practicing Catholics and 30.8% attending Church every Sunday.[1]) However, there are also some important religious minorities.
According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005:[2]
- 74% of Italian citizens responded that they believe there is a God;
- 16% answered that they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force;
- 6% answered that they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force.
Demography
This is a scheme of the religious composition of Italian population (58,751,711 - 2006, estimated):
- Christians: 53,800,000 (91.6%)
- Catholics: 51,600,000 (87.8%)
- Other Christians: 2,200,000 (3.8%)
- Eastern Orthodox: 950,000 (1.6%)[4]
- Romanian Orthodox: 500,000 (0.85%)
- Ukrainian Orthodox: 180,000 (0,31%)
- Moldovan Orthodox: 100,000 (0,15%)
- Others (Bulgarian Orthodox, Serbian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox, etc.): 180,000 (0.31%)
- Protestants: 725,000 (1.3%)
- Pentecostals: 550,000 (0.94%)
- Mainline Protestants: 175,000 (0.20%)[5][6]
- Waldensians and Methodists: 57,000 (0.09%)
- Waldensians: 50,000 (0.08%)
- Methodists: 7,000 (0.01%)
- Seventh-day Adventists: 25,000 (0.04%)
- Baptists: 20,000 (0.03%)
- Brethren: 20,000 (0.03%)
- Lutherans: 8,000 (0.01%)
- Anglicans: 15,000 (0.03%)
- Others (Disciples of Christ, Reformed, Presbyterians, Mennonites, etc.): 30,000 (0.05%)
- Jehovah's Witnesses: 500,000 (0.85%)
- Latter-day Saints: 25,000 (0.04%)
References
See also