Evangelical communities in Italy, while immigration from Eastern Europe has established large Eastern Orthodox communities. The Italian government, as a measure to protect religious freedom, devolves shares of income tax to recognised religions, under a regime known as Eight per thousand (Otto per mille). The law includes several branches of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism

y, it is recognized by other subjects of international law as a sovereign entity, headed by the Pope, who is also the Bishop of Rome, with which diplomatic relations can be maintained.[172][173] Often incorrectly referred to as "the Vatican", the Holy See is not the same entity as the Vatican City State, which came into existence only in 1929; the Holy See dates back to early Christian times. Ambassadors are officially accredited not to the Vatican City State but to "the Holy See", and papal representatives to states and international organizations are recognized as representing the Holy See, not the Vatican City State.
Italy has a rich Roman Catholic culture, especially as numerous Catholic saints, martyrs and popes were Italian themselves. All of the popes from 1523 to 1978 were from what is now Italy.[174] Italy is also home to the greatest number of cardinals in the world,[175] and is the country with the greatest number of Roman Catholic churches per capita.[176]
Minority Christian faiths in Italy include Waldensians, and Eastern Orthodox as well as some Protestant churches. In the 20th century, Pentecostalism, non-denominational Evangelicalism, were the fastest-growing Protestant churches, as well as Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormonism. Starting from the 1980s, immigration from Subsaharan Africa has increased the size of Baptist, Anglican, Pentecostal and Evangelical communities in Italy, while immigration from Eastern Europe has established large Eastern Orthodox communities. The Italian government, as a measure to protect religious freedom, devolves shares of income tax to recognised religions, under a regime known as Eight per thousand (Otto per mille). The law includes several branches of Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism and Hinduism, but does not recognise Islam.[177] Taxpayers who do not wish to fund a religion contribute their share to the state welfare system. [178]
At the beginning of the 21st century, there were more than 700,000 Eastern Orthodox Christians in Italy, including 180,000 Greek Orthodox,[179] 550,000 Pentecostals and Evangelists (0.8%), of whom 400,000 are members of the Assemblies of God, 235,685 Jehovah's Witnesses (0.4%),[180] 30,000 Waldensians,[181] 25,000 Seventh-day Adventists, 22,000 Mormons, 15,000 Baptists (plus some 5,000 Free Baptists), 7,000 Lutherans, 4,000 Methodists (affiliated with the Waldensian Church).[182]
One of the longest-established minority religious faiths in Italy is Judaism, Jews having been present in Ancient Rome since before the birth of Christ. There have been many influential Italian-Jews, such as Shabbethai Donnolo (died in 982), prime minister Luigi Luzzatti, who took office in 1910, and Ernesto Nathan, outstanding mayor of Rome from 1907 to 1913. During the Holocaust, Italy took in many Jewish refugees from Nazi Germany. However, with the creation of the Nazi-backed puppet Italian Social Republic, about 20% of Italy's Jews were killed, despite the Fascist government's refusal to deport Jews to Nazi death camps.[183] This, together with the emigration that preceded and followed the World War II, has left only a small community of around 45,000 Jews in Italy today.[184]
Rising immigration has been accompanied by an increase in non-Christian faiths. In 2009, there were one million Muslims in Italy[185] forming 1.6 percent of population, although only 50,000 hold Italian citizenship. Independent estimates put the Islamic population in Italy anywhere from 0.8 million[186] to 1.5 million.[187] There are more than 200,000 followers of faiths originating in the Indian subcontinent with some 70,000 Sikhs with 22 gurdwaras across the country,[188] 70,000 Hindus, and 50,000 Buddhists.[189] There were an estimated 4,900 Bahá'ís in Italy in 2005.[190]
Education
Main article: Education in Italy