Religion in Rome

Last updated

Religion in Rome (2015) [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

   Catholicism (82.0%)
  Other or non-religious (8.7%)
   Eastern Orthodoxy (4%)
   Protestant (0.8%)
   Judaism (0.7%)
   Islam (3.8%)

Rome has, for more than two millennia, been an important worldwide center for religion, particularly the Catholic strain of Christianity. The city is commonly regarded as the "home of the Catholic Church", owing to the ecclesiastical doctrine of the primacy of the Bishop of Rome. Today, there are also other Abrahamic religions common in Rome, including Judaism and Islam.

Contents

Classical period

The Religio Romana (literally, the "Roman Religion") constituted the major religion of the city in antiquity. The first gods held sacred by the Romans were Jupiter, the highest, and Mars, the god of war, and father of Rome's twin founders, Romulus and Remus, according to tradition. The goddess Vesta became an important part of the Roman Pantheon at an early stage of the Roman Monarchy. The goddess Diana joined the Roman Pantheon during the Monarchy times as the central goddess uniting worship between Rome and several of its neighbors, thus creating the basis for a coalition. The goddess Juno was imported to Rome from the ancient city of Veii, after Veii fell to the Roman military, following a long period of wars between the two cities, during the time of the Roman Republic. Other gods and goddesses were honored in Rome and added to the Pantheon throughout the Monarchy and Republic periods. See Livy, Books 1–5.

The Roman religion was largely concerned with interpreting divine messages (auguries) through natural occurrences (omens). However, Rome had no augurs of its own and largely relied upon Etruscan augurs to interpret the divine omens. For this reason, Rome was left without any augurs during its last war with Veii, an Etruscan city, and was forced to send envoys all the way to Greece, to consult the famous Oracle at Delphi. Livy, Book 5.

Several other religions and imported mystery cults remained represented within its ever-expanding boundaries during the Roman Republic and Empire periods, including Judaism, whose presence in the city dates back from the Roman Republic and was sometimes forcibly confined to the Roman Ghetto, as well as Mithraism, until being superseded by Christianity, following the death of Emperor Constantine in the 4th century. [6] Christianity was made the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380 by Emperor Theodosius I, allowing it to spread further and eventually wholly replace Mithraism in the Roman Empire.

Christianity

The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the city's earliest basilicas. Santa Maria Maggiore (Rome) frontview.jpg
The Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore, one of the city's earliest basilicas.

Rome became the pre-eminent Christian city (vis-a-vis Antioch and Alexandria, and later Constantinople and Jerusalem) because of the final residence and martyrdom of Saint Peter there during the 1st century, coupled with the city's political importance. The Bishop of Rome, who is traditionally called Pope, claims primacy over all Bishops and therefore all Christians because he is the successor to Saint Peter, upon whom Christ Jesus built His Church; the pope's prestige had been enhanced since 313 through donations by Roman emperors and patricians, including the Lateran Palace and patriarchal basilicas, as well as the obviously growing influence of the Church over the failing civil imperial authority. Papal authority has been exercised by Peter and his successors since the Church's inception, from time to time exposing and resolving divisions among Christians.

With the increasing chaos and disorder leading to the collapse of the Roman Empire in 476, the popes assumed more and more civil authority first in Rome and in the surrounding territories. Rome became the center of the Catholic Church and the capital city of the Papal States; consequently, a great number of churches, convents, and other religious buildings were erected in the city, sometimes on the ruins of older pre-Christian sites of worship. Churches proliferated during the Renaissance, when Rome's most notable churches were built (this includes St. Peter's basilica on the Vatican Hill (the largest church in the world) and the city cathedral of St. John at the Lateran. The Papacy established its residence first in the Lateran Palace, then in the Quirinal Palace. When Rome was annexed by force to the newly unified Kingdom of Italy In 1870, Pope Pius IX retired to the Vatican, proclaiming himself a prisoner of the Savoy monarchy and leading to decades of conflict between the neonate state and the Catholic Church. This was resolved in 1929 when the Lateran Treaty was signed in Rome, establishing the right for the Holy See to govern the Vatican City as an independent, sovereign state. The patron saints of Rome remain Saint Peter and Saint Paul (or, as they are collectively referred to in this context, "the holiest Saints Peter and Paul"), both celebrated on June 29.[ citation needed ]

Vatican City

St. Peter's Square and the Basilica. Saopedro1.jpg
St. Peter's Square and the Basilica.

The city of Rome surrounds the Vatican City, the enclave of the Holy See, which is a separate sovereign state. It hosts Saint Peter's Square with the Saint Peter's Basilica. [7] The open space before the basilica was redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, from 1656 to 1667, under the direction of Pope Alexander VII, as an appropriate forecourt, designed "so that the greatest number of people could see the Pope give his blessing, either from the middle of the façade of the church or from a window in the Vatican Palace" (Norwich, 1975, p.175). In Vatican City there are also the prestigious Vatican Library, Vatican Museums with the Sistine Chapel, the Raphael Rooms and other important works of Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Giotto, and Botticelli.

Judaism

Great Synagogue of Rome. Great Synagogue of Rome.jpg
Great Synagogue of Rome.

Judaism has been present in Rome since classical antiquity and Rome is the only city in Europe that has had a constant presence of Jews since the establishment of the Roman Empire.

Islam

In recent years, the Islamic community has grown significantly, in great part due to immigration from North African and Middle Eastern countries into the city. As a result of this trend, the comune promoted the building of the largest mosque in Europe, which was designed by architect Paolo Portoghesi and inaugurated on June 21, 1995.

Central mosque by Paolo Portoghesi, Rome (1974) Moschea - sala principale 3082-6.JPG
Central mosque by Paolo Portoghesi, Rome (1974)

Other religions

In addition Rome hosts multiple Buddhist [8] temples, a Taoist [9] temple and a variety of Roman modern pagan temples [10] held by the Associazione Tradizionale Pietas which every year takes part in the religious festivities of the Natale di Roma.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy See</span> Jurisdiction of the Vatican City, Bishop of Rome, and worldwide Catholic Church

The Holy See, also called the See of Rome, Petrine See or Apostolic See, is the central governing body of the Catholic Church and the Vatican City State. It encompasses the office of the pope as the bishop of the Apostolic episcopal see of Rome and serves as the spiritual and administrative authority of the worldwide Catholic Church and the city-state. Under international law, the Holy See holds the status of a sovereign juridical entity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vatican City</span> Enclaved Holy Sees independent city-state

Vatican City, officially the Vatican City State, is a landlocked sovereign country, city-state, microstate, and enclave surrounded by, and historically a part of, Rome, Italy. It became independent from Italy in 1929 with the Lateran Treaty, and is a distinct territory under "full ownership, exclusive dominion, and sovereign authority and jurisdiction" of the Holy See, which is itself a sovereign entity under international law, maintaining the city-state's temporal power, governance, diplomatic, and spiritual independence. The Vatican is also a metonym for the pope, the city-state's and worldwide Catholic Church government Holy See, and Roman Curia. The country has the world's smallest land area and the smallest population, with 764 citizens as of 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateran Treaty</span> 1929 treaty between Italy and the Holy See

The Lateran Treaty was one component of the Lateran Pacts of 1929, agreements between the Kingdom of Italy under King Victor Emmanuel III and the Holy See under Pope Pius XI to settle the long-standing Roman question. The treaty and associated pacts were named after the Lateran Palace where they were signed on 11 February 1929, and the Italian parliament ratified them on 7 June 1929. The treaty recognised Vatican City as an independent state under the sovereignty of the Holy See. The Italian government also agreed to give the Roman Catholic Church financial compensation for the loss of the Papal States. In 1948, the Lateran Treaty was recognized in the Constitution of Italy as regulating the relations between the state and the Catholic Church. The treaty was significantly revised in 1984, ending the status of Catholicism as the sole state religion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran</span> Roman Catholic basilica in Rome, Italy

The Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran is the Catholic cathedral of the Diocese of Rome in the city of Rome, and serves as the seat of the bishop of Rome, the pope. The only "archbasilica" in the world, it lies outside of Vatican City proper, which is located approximately four kilometres northwest. Nevertheless, as properties of the Holy See, the archbasilica and its adjoining edifices enjoy an extraterritorial status from Italy, pursuant to the terms of the Lateran Treaty of 1929. Dedicated to the Christ, in honor of John the Baptist and John the Evangelist, the place name, Laterano (Lateran) comes from an ancient Roman family (gens), whose palace (domus) grounds occupied the site; the adjacent Lateran Palace was the primary residence of the pope until the Middle Ages.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Throne</span> Seat of state of a potentate or dignitary

A throne is the seat of state of a potentate or dignitary, especially the seat occupied by a sovereign on state occasions; or the seat occupied by a pope or bishop on ceremonial occasions. "Throne" in an abstract sense can also refer to the monarchy itself, an instance of metonymy, and is also used in many expressions such as "the power behind the throne".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Santa Maria Maggiore</span> Catholic basilica and landmark in Rome

The Basilica of Saint Mary Major, or church of Santa Maria Maggiore, is one of the four major papal basilicas as well as one of the Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome and the largest Marian church in Rome, Italy.

A prisoner in the Vatican or prisoner of the Vatican described the situation of the pope with respect to the Kingdom of Italy during the period from the capture of Rome by the Royal Italian Army on 20 September 1870 until the Lateran Treaty of 11 February 1929. Part of the process of the unification of Italy, the city's capture ended the millennium-old temporal rule of the popes over Central Italy and allowed Rome to be designated the capital of the new nation. Although the Italians did not occupy the territories of Vatican Hill delimited by the Leonine walls and offered the creation of a city-state in the area, the popes from Pius IX to Pius XI refused the proposal and described themselves as prisoners of the new Italian state.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Peter's Square</span> Public plaza in the Vatican City

Saint Peter's Square is a large plaza located directly in front of St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, the papal enclave in Rome, directly west of the neighborhood (rione) of Borgo. Both square and basilica are named after Saint Peter, an apostle of Jesus whom Catholics consider the first Pope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateran</span> Location in Rome

Lateran and Laterano are names for an area of Rome, and the shared names of several buildings in Rome. The properties were once owned by the Lateranus family of the Roman Empire. The Laterani lost their properties to Emperor Constantine who allegedly gave them to the Bishop of Rome though this traditional report has been most likely based on the document Donation of Constantine which has been proven to be a forgery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lateran Palace</span> Ancient palace of the Roman Empire and the main papal residence in Rome

The Lateran Palace, formally the Apostolic Palace of the Lateran, is an ancient palace of the Roman Empire and later the main papal residence in Rome.

<i>Urbi et Orbi</i> Papal address and apostolic blessing given on certain special occasions

Urbi et Orbi denotes a papal address and apostolic blessing given by the pope on certain solemn occasions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Catholic Church in Europe</span>

The Catholic Church in Europe is part of the worldwide Catholic Church in full communion with the Holy See in Rome, including represented Eastern Catholic missions. Demographically, Catholics are the largest religious group in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Diocese of Rome</span> Diocese of the Catholic Church in Rome, Italy

The Diocese of Rome, also called the Vicariate of Rome, is a Latin diocese of the Catholic Church under the direct jurisdiction of the Pope, who is Bishop of Rome and hence the supreme pontiff and head of the worldwide Catholic Church. As the Holy See, the papacy is a sovereign entity with diplomatic relations, and civil jurisdiction over the Vatican City State located geographically within Rome. The Diocese of Rome is the metropolitan diocese of the province of Rome, an ecclesiastical province in Italy. According to Catholic tradition, the first bishop of Rome was Saint Peter in the first century. The incumbent since 13 March 2013 is Pope Francis.

This is an index of Vatican City–related topics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Rome</span> History of Rome, Italy

The history of Rome includes the history of the city of Rome as well as the civilisation of ancient Rome. Roman history has been influential on the modern world, especially in the history of the Catholic Church, and Roman law has influenced many modern legal systems. Roman history can be divided into the following periods:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Palace of the Holy Office</span> Palace in Rome, Italy

The Palace of the Holy Office is a building in Rome which is an extraterritorial property of Holy See. It houses the Holy Office of the Roman Catholic Church.

Rome is a tourist destination of archaeological and artistic significance. Among the most significant resources are museums – —aqueducts, fountains, churches, palaces, historical buildings, the monuments and ruins of the Roman Forum, and the Catacombs. Rome is the 2nd most visited city in the EU, after Paris, and receives an average of 7–10 million tourists a year, which sometimes doubles on holy years. The Colosseum and the Vatican Museums are the 39th and 37th (respectively) most visited places in the world, according to a 2009 study. In 2005 the city registered 19.5 million of global visitors, up of 22.1% from 2001. In 2006, Rome was visited by 6.03 million international tourists, reaching 8th place in the ranking of the world's 150 most visited cities. The city has also been nominated 2007's fourth most desirable city to visit in the world, according to lifestyle magazine Travel + Leisure, after Florence, Buenos Aires and Bangkok. Rome is the city with the most monuments in the world.

The city of Rome, Italy, has had an extensive history since antiquity.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Rome</span> Overview of the culture of Rome

The culture of Rome in Italy refers to the arts, high culture, language, religion, politics, libraries, cuisine, architecture and fashion in Rome, Italy. Rome was supposedly founded in 753 BC and ever since has been the capital of the Roman Empire, one of the main centres of Christianity, the home of the Roman Catholic Church and the seat of the Italian Republic. Due to its historical and social importance, Rome has been nicknamed the Caput Mundi, or "capital of the world".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Outline of Rome</span> Overview of and topical guide to Rome

The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to Rome:

References

  1. ↑ "Diocese of Roma - Statistics". 11 July 2019.
  2. ↑ "A Roma e Provincia, immigrati il 10% degli abitanti: una guida alle religioni". 11 July 2019.
  3. ↑ "Roma prima città italiana per presenza Musulmana". 11 July 2019.
  4. ↑ "Gli Ebrei a Roma". 11 July 2019.
  5. ↑ "Popolazione Roma 2001-2018". 11 July 2019.
  6. ↑ "The Fall of the Roman Empire [ushistory.org]". www.ushistory.org. Retrieved 2022-11-08.
  7. ↑ "Vatican". Vatican.va. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
  8. ↑ https://fondoambiente.it/eventi/tempo-al-tempio-monastero-buddhista-hua-yi-si
  9. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rome
  10. ↑ https://www.lagazzettadelmezzogiorno.it/video/video/1415466/culto-e-cultura-nel-segno-della-dea-sorge-a-taranto-il-tempio-di-minerva.html
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.