Editing Italy (section)

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Italy}}
{{See also|List of cathedrals in Italy}}
[[File:PonteSantAngeloRom.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|[[St. Peter's Basilica]] viewed from the [[Tiber]]; the [[Vatican Hill]] in the back and [[Castel Sant'Angelo]] in [[Rome]] to the right. Both the basilica and the hill are part of the [[United Nations General Assembly observers|sovereign state]] of [[Vatican City]], the [[Holy See]] of the [[Catholic Church]].]]

The [[Holy See]], the [[Diocese of Rome|episcopal jurisdiction of Rome]], contains the government of [[Vatican City]] and the worldwide [[Catholic Church]]. It is recognised as a [[Sovereignty|sovereign]] entity, headed by the pope, who is also the Bishop of Rome, with which diplomatic relations can be maintained.<ref>Text taken directly from {{Cite web|title=Country Profile: Vatican City State|url=http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/europe/holy-see|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101231084624/http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travel-and-living-abroad/travel-advice-by-country/country-profile/europe/holy-see|archive-date=31 December 2010|access-date=5 February 2016}} (viewed on 14 December 2011), on the website of the British Foreign & Commonwealth Office.</ref>{{Efn|The Holy See's sovereignty has been recognised explicitly in many international agreements and is particularly emphasised in article 2 of the [[Lateran Treaty]] of 11 February 1929, in which "Italy recognises the sovereignty of the Holy See in international matters as an inherent attribute in conformity with its traditions and the requirements of its mission to the world" ([http://www.aloha.net/~mikesch/treaty.htm Lateran Treaty, English translation]).}}

Although historically dominated by Catholicism, [[Religion in Italy|religiosity in Italy]] is declining.<ref name="Dell'orto">{{Cite web|last=Dell'orto|first=Giovanna|date=5 October 2023|title=The Nones: Italy|url=https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-italy.html|access-date=6 October 2023|work=[[Associated Press News]]|archive-date=5 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231005133701/https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-italy.html|url-status=live}}; {{Cite web|last=Dell'orto|first=Giovanna|date=2023-10-05|title=From cradle to casket, life for Italians changes as Catholic faith loses relevance|url=https://apnews.com/article/italy-nonreligious-catholic-life-changes-fb808ce37daba3ce222e57a51c7d9187|access-date=2023-10-06|work=Associated Press News|archive-date=7 October 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007220721/https://apnews.com/article/italy-nonreligious-catholic-life-changes-fb808ce37daba3ce222e57a51c7d9187|url-status=live}}</ref> Most Catholics are nominal; the Associated Press describes [[Catholic Church in Italy|Italian Catholicism]] as "nominally embraced but rarely lived".<ref name="Dell'orto"/> Italy has the world's [[Catholic Church by country|fifth-largest Catholic population]] and the largest in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web|date=13 February 2013|title=The Global Catholic Population|url=https://www.pewforum.org/2013/02/13/the-global-catholic-population|website=Pew Research Center's Religion & Public Life Project|access-date=21 November 2020|archive-date=25 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125003604/https://www.pewforum.org/2013/02/13/the-global-catholic-population/|url-status=live}}</ref> Since 1985, Catholicism is no longer the official religion.<ref>{{Cite news|date=4 June 1985|title=Catholicism No Longer Italy's State Religion|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-06-04/news/8501220260_1_italian-state-new-agreement-church|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131020143004/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1985-06-04/news/8501220260_1_italian-state-new-agreement-church|archive-date=20 October 2013|access-date=7 September 2013|work=[[Sun Sentinel]]}}</ref>

In 2011, minority Christian faiths included an estimated 1.5 million Orthodox Christians, while [[Protestantism]] has been growing.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Leustean|first=Lucian N.|title=Eastern Christianity and Politics in the Twenty-First Century|date=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-0-4156-8490-3|page=723}}</ref> Italy has for centuries welcomed Jews expelled from other countries, notably Spain. However, about 20% of Italian Jews were killed during [[the Holocaust]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dawidowicz, Lucy S. |title=The war against the Jews, 1933–1945 |publisher=Bantam Books |year=1986 |isbn=978-0-5533-4302-1 |location=New York}} p. 403.</ref> This, together with emigration before and after World War II, has left around 28,000 Jews.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Jewish Community of Italy (Unione delle Comunita Ebraiche Italiane)|url=http://www.eurojewcong.org/communities/italy.html|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130313095857/http://www.eurojewcong.org/communities/italy.html|archive-date=13 March 2013|access-date=25 August 2014|publisher=The European Jewish Congress}}</ref> There are 120,000 Hindus<ref>{{Cite web|date=4 November 2019|title=Eurispes, risultati del primo Rapporto di ricerca su "L'Induismo in Italia"|url=https://eurispes.eu/news/eurispes-risultati-del-primo-rapporto-di-ricerca-su-linduismo-in-italia|access-date=31 December 2021|language=it|archive-date=31 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231223926/https://eurispes.eu/news/eurispes-risultati-del-primo-rapporto-di-ricerca-su-linduismo-in-italia/|url-status=live}}</ref> and 70,000 Sikhs.<ref>{{Cite web|date=15 November 2004|title=NRI Sikhs in Italy|url=http://www.nriinternet.com/EUROPE/ITALY/2004/111604Gurdwara.htm|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110207031755/http://nriinternet.com/EUROPE/ITALY/2004/111604Gurdwara.htm|archive-date=7 February 2011|access-date=30 October 2010|publisher=Nriinternet.com}}</ref>

The state devolves shares of income tax to recognised religious communities, under a regime known as [[eight per thousand]]. Donations are allowed to Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, and Hindu communities; however, Islam remains excluded, as no Muslim communities have signed a concordat.<ref>{{Cite web|date=7 April 2003|title=Italy: Islam denied income tax revenue – Adnkronos Religion|url=http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=3.1.880028077|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130620070907/http://www.adnkronos.com/AKI/English/Religion/?id=3.1.880028077|archive-date=20 June 2013|access-date=2 June 2013|publisher=Adnkronos.com}}</ref> Taxpayers who do not wish to fund a religion contribute their share to the welfare system.<ref>[http://documenti.camera.it/Leg16/dossier/Testi/BI0350.htm#_Toc278992388 Camera dei deputati Dossier BI0350] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130927211619/http://documenti.camera.it/Leg16/dossier/Testi/BI0350.htm|date=27 September 2013}}. Documenti.camera.it (10 March 1998). Retrieved 12 July 2013.</ref>