Hinduism in Italy

Last updated

Italian Hindus
UrmilaDeviOnHarinamWithIps2003Italy.jpg
ISKCON devotees in Venice, Italy
Total population
223,000 (2023)
Increase2.svg (0.4%) of total population
Regions with significant populations
Rome, Milan, Venice
Religions
Hinduism
Languages
Sacred
Sanskrit
Majority
Hindi, English, Tamil and other Indian diaspora languages, some also speak Italian
Hare Krishnas Mandir in Albettone, Vicenza. Prabhupada desh.jpg
Hare Krishnas Mandir in Albettone, Vicenza.

Hinduism is practised by 0.4% of the people in Italy. It is practised by 0.1% of the Italian citizens and 2.9% of the immigrant population. [1] In 2012, there were about 90,000 Hindus in Italy. [2] In 2015, the population increased to 120,000. As of 2023, the population is around 223,000 - the second largest Hindu community in Europe after the United Kingdom, and the largest Hindu community in the European Union.

Contents

Demographics

Hindu population in Italy
YearPop.±%
2012 90,000—    
2015 120,000+33.3%
2021 180,000+50.0%
2023 223,000+23.9%
YearPercentIncrease
20120.1%-
20150.2%+0.1%
20210.3%+0.1%
20230.4%+0.1%

Official recognition as a religion

In the mid-2000s, Hindus were pressing for official recognition in Italy. The Italian Hindu Union (Italian : Unione Induista Italiana, UII) is an association representing Hinduism in Italy. The UII was founded in 1996, under the leadership of Swami Yogananda Giri and the cooperation of the Indian Embassy in Rome. [3] In 2007 the association, which represents a large chunk of Italy's 115,000 Hindus, [4] signed an agreement with the Italian government, in accordance with article 8 of the Italian Constitution (which regulates the relations with religious minorities), and the agreement became law in 2012. [5] [6] The document was then waiting for approval by the Italian Parliament. Afterwards, Hinduism was granted official recognition by the Italian Parliament in 2012 alongside Buddhism. [7] On 11 December 2012, the Italian Parliament ratified an official agreement (Intesa) with the Italian Hindu Union (L.31/12/2012 n. 246). As declared in Article 24 of the Law of agreement, Dipavali or Diwali, the Festival of Lights, is recognized in Italy as the official Hindu religious festival of the Hindu organization. [8]

Matha Gitananda Ashram

It is one of the three Hindu monasteries in Europe. The Hindu monastery Matha Gitananda Ashrama is located in Località Pellegrino in the Municipality of Altare. It stands on a hill 520m high, in the inland of Savona. [9]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Il pluralismo religioso italiano nel contesto postmoderno | le Religioni in Italia".
  2. ↑ Table: Religious Composition by Country, in Numbers Pew Research Center (December 2012)
  3. ↑ "L'Unione Induista Italiana e i centri affiliati | Le Religioni in Italia". Cesnur.com. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  4. ↑ "Il panorama multireligioso in Italia" (PDF) (in Italian). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-11-29. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  5. ↑ "Governo Italiano - Le intese con le confessioni religiose". Presidenza.governo.it. 2016-06-28. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  6. ↑ "*** Normattiva ***" (in Italian). Normattiva.it. 2013-01-17. Retrieved 2019-07-23.
  7. ↑ "Italian Parliament Grants Official Recognition to Hinduism and Buddhism". Hinduism Today . December 14, 2012. Retrieved July 19, 2015.
  8. ↑ "About us – Unione Induista Italiana".
  9. ↑ "About us – matha".
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