Demographics of Italy - Religion

Religion

Religion in Italy
Religion Percent
Christianity   91.6%
None   5.8%
Islam   3.8%
Buddhism   0.3%
Hinduism   0.2%
Sikhism   0.12%
Judaism   0.1%

Roman Catholicism is by far the largest religion in the country, although the Catholic Church is no longer officially the state religion. Fully 87.8% of Italy's population identified themselves as Roman Catholic, although only about one-third of these described themselves as active members (36.8%).

Most Italians believe in God, or a form of a spiritual life force. According to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll 2005: 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' and 6% answered that 'they do not believe there is any sort of spirit, God, or life force'. This makes Italians much more theist than those of most other European countries, including France, Spain, and Germany.

Read more about this topic:  Demographics Of Italy

Famous quotes containing the word religion:

    “This is one of the paradoxes of the democratic movement—that it loves a crowd and fears the individuals who compose it—that the religion of humanity should have no faith in human beings.”
    —Walter Lippmann (1889–1974)

    “A strong argument for the religion of Christ is this—that offences against Charity are about the only ones which men on their death-beds can be made—not to understand—but to feel—as crime.”
    —Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1845)

    “The more powerful and original a mind, the more it will incline towards the religion of solitude.”
    —Aldous Huxley (1894–1963)