Full communion is a communion or relationship of full agreement among different Christian denominations or Christian individuals that share certain essential principles of Christian theology. Views vary among denominations on exactly what constitutes full communion, but typically when two or more denominations are in full communion it enables services and celebrations, such as the Eucharist, to be shared among congregants or clergy of any of them with the full approval of each.
The Waldensians, also known as Waldenses, Vallenses, Valdesi, or Vaudois, are adherents of a church tradition that began as an ascetic movement within Western Christianity before the Reformation. Originally known as the Poor of Lyon in the late twelfth century, the movement spread to the Cottian Alps in what is today France and Italy. The founding of the Waldensians is attributed to Peter Waldo, a wealthy merchant who gave away his property around 1173, preaching apostolic poverty as the way to perfection.
Buddhism in Italy is the third most spread religion, next to Christianity and Islam. In the country there are 358,000 Buddhists, that is to say the 0.6% of the total population.
Religion in Italy has been historically characterised by the dominance of the Catholic Church, the largest branch of Christianity, since the East–West Schism. This is in part due to the importance of Rome in the history of the Church, including its historical status as a leading patriarchate and the presence of the Vatican, the Catholic Church's headquarters and the residence of the Pope—the Bishop of Rome—within its borders. However, due to immigration, notably the influx of Muslims, Eastern Orthodox Christians, Protestants, Buddhists and Hindus, as well as proselytism and secularization, religious pluralism in Italy has increased in the 21st century. Italy also features a pre-Christian Jewish community, an autochthonous Protestant church–the Waldensian Evangelical Church and one of the largest shares of Jehovah's Witnesses in the world.
Christianity in Italy has been historically characterised by the dominance of the Catholic Church since the East–West Schism. However, the country is also home to significant Christian minorities, especially Orthodox Christians, Protestants and Jehovah's Witnesses.
The Italian Hindu Union is an association representing Hinduism in Italy.
The term Eastern Protestant Christianity encompasses a range of heterogeneous Protestant Christian denominations that developed outside of the Western world, from the latter half of the nineteenth century, and retain certain elements of Eastern Christianity. Some of these denominations came into existence when active Protestant churches adopted reformational variants of Eastern and Oriental Orthodox liturgy and worship, while others originated from Orthodox groups who were inspired by the teachings of Western Protestant missionaries and adopted Protestant beliefs and practices.
The Waldensian Evangelical Church is a Protestant denomination active in Italy and Switzerland that was independent until it united with the Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy in the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches. Founded in the 12th century by Peter Waldo as a proto-Protestant group, since the 16th century Reformation it has adopted Calvinist theology and blended into the wider Calvinist tradition. It is one of several Protestant denominations with pre-Reformation roots, and is appraised by various denominations of Protestantism as its major successor.
The Methodist Evangelical Church in Italy, known also as Italian Methodist Church, is a Protestant church in the Methodist tradition active in Italy that is in full communion with the historical Waldensian Evangelical Church in the Union of Methodist and Waldensian Churches. It part of the World Methodist Council.
The Federation of Evangelical Churches in Italy is an ecumenical Protestant body in Italy.
Protestantism in Italy comprises a minority of the country's religious population.
The Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy is a Protestant denomination in the Lutheran tradition in Italy.
The Federation of Pentecostal Churches is a fellowship of Pentecostal churches in Italy.
The Assemblies of God in Italy, whose full name is Evangelical Christian Churches Assemblies of God in Italy, is a fellowship of evangelical and Pentecostal churches which functions as the Italian branch of the International Fellowship of Christian Assemblies, while being in communion with the World Assemblies of God Fellowship as well.
The Evangelical Christian Church of the Brethren is an Italian Protestant denomination.
The Italian Union of Seventh-Day Adventist Christian Churches, part of the worldwide fellowship of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, is a Protestant denomination in Italy.
The Italian Buddhist Union is an association representing Buddhism in Italy.
