The Sociocultural Change Under the Sacred Canopy in Italy

The article describes the sociocultural change under the sacred canopy in a country with a deep Catholic tradition in Europe, focusing on the indicators of secularization in Italy, drawn from the most recent national surveys. One of the most significant results is the increase in nuns and spiritual but not religious people, especially among the younger generations. Nonetheless, for the majority of Italians, Catholicism is still part of the social framework of collective memory. At the same time, immigration is contributing to a changing religious geography: Italian society is transitioning from a monopoly regime (a dominant church-based religion) to one characterized by the pluralism of faiths.