Italy

The Latest

St. Pope John Paul II greets former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Pope Francis sends condolences after death of Silvio Berlusconi

Jun 12, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The Italian billionaire media baron died on June 12 at the age of 86. He was Italy’s longest-serving head of... Read more

Rajesh Mohur pictured with Carlo Acutis on the day of his Confirmation

From Hinduism to Catholicism: How Blessed Carlo Acutis inspired a man to convert

May 30, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The son of a Brahman Hindu priest became a Catholic through young Carlo Acutis’ joyful witness to the Eucharist and... Read more

Members of an Italian pro-life and pro-family organization marched in the "Demonstration for Life" May 20, 2023, with a banner saying "There's life in the mother's womb. Let's care for it. #stopabortion"

PHOTOS: Thousands march in Italy’s national ‘Demonstration for Life’

May 20, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

The walk May 20 started at Rome’s Piazza della Repubblica and concluded at the square in front of the Basilica... Read more

Pope Francis at his general audience in St. Peter's Square on May 17, 2023.

Pope Francis offers condolences after 9 die in northern Italy floods

May 18, 2023

By Courtney Mares

Thousands have been evacuated from the worst-hit areas, which include Ravenna, a city famous for its churches’ sixth-century Byzantine mosaics. Read more

Pope Francis shared a stage with Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on May 12, 2023, to speak at a two-day conference on “The General State of the Birth Rate,” held at Conciliazione Auditorium close to the Vatican.

Pope Francis: Birth rate is a key indicator of a country’s hope

May 12, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

Pope Francis shared the stage on May 12 with Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni during a two-day conference on “The... Read more

Elisabeth Ohlsen.

EU Parliament criticized for displaying ‘vulgar’ depictions of Jesus and apostles

May 4, 2023

By Tyler Arnold

An art exhibit at the European Union’s Parliament building in Brussels, Belgium, has prompted criticism from conservative politicians in Italy. Read more

The renowned Italian artist Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s famous sculpture "Salvator Mundi" (Savior of the World) is on display at Rome's airport.

A sculpture of Jesus at Rome’s airport is taking travelers by surprise

Apr 20, 2023

By Peter Pinedo

The next time you are flying through Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport you can see Jesus at Terminal 1. Read more

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Was this Italian Easter sweet miraculously invented by an Irish saint?

Apr 8, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

The incredible story of the “Colomba di Pasqua” (“Easter dove”) dates to the sixth or seventh century and includes a... Read more

Pope Francis meets with executives and employees of the Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale, Italy's main welfare agency, April 3, 2023.

Pope Francis tells Italian welfare agency not to forget foreign workers

Apr 3, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

“It should not be forgotten that foreign workers who do not yet have Italian citizenship also contribute to the pension... Read more

The beach at Steccato di Cutro in Calabria

Shipwreck leaves more than 50 migrants dead in Italy: The Church expresses pain

Feb 26, 2023

By Diego Lopez Marina

Pope Francis and Church leaders in Italy sent their prayers for the eternal rest of at least 59 migrants who... Read more

The faithful venerate a relic of Blessed Rosario Livatino at the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro, Italy, Jan. 20, 2023.

Blood-stained shirt of beatified judge killed by Mafia displayed in Rome

Jan 20, 2023

By Hannah Brockhaus

On Friday, the Church of San Salvatore in Lauro welcomed the relic for a few hours with a ceremony and... Read more

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Italian Psychoanalytic Society expresses ‘great concern’ over use of puberty blockers

Jan 18, 2023

By Courtney Mares

The president of the society called for “rigorous scientific discussion” of gender issues in young people. Read more

Biagio Conte, a lay missionary based in Palermo, is seen doing a pilgrimage in a almost deserted street on March 20, 2020, in Palermo, Italy. Conte died Jan. 12, 2023, and his Jan. 17, 2023, funeral in Palermo was attended by thousands.

Thousands attend funeral of modern-day St. Francis in Italy

Jan 17, 2023

By CNA Staff

Thousands of people attended the Jan. 17 funeral of Biagio Conte, the lay missionary founder of the Hope and Charity... Read more

A variety of fish dishes served on Christmas Eve.

Where does the Feast of the 7 Fishes Christmas Eve tradition come from?

Dec 24, 2022

By Francesca Pollio Fenton

The feast stems from the southern part of Italy and spans generations. Read more

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PHOTOS: Living Nativity takes to the streets of Rome

Dec 19, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

Families dressed as traditional artisans, Roman soldiers, and other characters from the story of Christ’s birth also joined the walk. Read more

The Holy House of Our Lady in the Shrine of Loreto.

How could the Holy House of Mary in Nazareth have ended up in Loreto, Italy?

Dec 10, 2022

By Courtney Mares

Catholic pilgrims have flocked to the Holy House of Loreto since the 14th century to stand inside the walls where... Read more

Pope Francis has lunch with his second cousin Carla Rabezzana at her home in Portacomaro, Italy on Nov. 19, 2022.

Pope Francis travels to northern Italy to share a special meal with his cousins

Nov 19, 2022

By Courtney Mares

The visit was the first time that Pope Francis had met with his 90-year-old second cousin since the start of... Read more

Member of the right-wing Lega (League) party, Lorenzo Fontana, delivers a speech after being elected new speaker of the lower house on Oct. 14, 2022, at the parliament building in Rome.

Italy’s new No. 3 is a Catholic politician studying philosophy at a pontifical university

Oct 14, 2022

By Hannah Brockhaus

Lorenzo Fontana, 42, was elected president of the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Italy's Parliament, with 222 out... Read more

Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy) holds a “Thank You Italy” sign during a press conference at the party electoral headquarters on Sept. 25, 2022 in Rome.

What does Giorgia Meloni’s victory mean for Catholics in Italy?

Sep 29, 2022

By Andrea Gagliarducci

In short, the reality of Meloni’s politics is much more nuanced than it may seem at first glance. Read more

Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Fratelli d'Italia (Brothers of Italy), speaks at a press conference at the party electoral headquarters overnight on Sept. 26, 2022. in Rome. Italy’s national elections on Sept. 25 saw voters poised to elect Meloni, a Catholic mother, as the country's first female prime minister.

7 things to know about Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s likely new Catholic prime minister

Sep 26, 2022

By Edie Heipel, Jonah McKeown

A Catholic mother is poised to become the country’s first female prime minister.  Read more