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:

    “Surely the day will come when color means nothing more than skin tone, when religion is seen uniquely as a way to speak one’s soul; when birth places have the weight of a throw of the dice and all men are born free, when understanding breeds love and brotherhood.”
    —Josephine Baker (1906–1975)

    “The cloister and the observatory saint
    Take comfort in about the same complaint.
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    “If therefore my work is negative, irreligious, atheistic, let it be remembered that atheism—at least in the sense of this work—is the secret of religion itself; that religion itself, not indeed on the surface, but fundamentally, not in intention or according to its own supposition, but in its heart, in its essence, believes in nothing else than the truth and divinity of human nature.”
    —Ludwig Feuerbach (1804–1872)