itan ▁and ▁Sic ilian . ▁ ▁Religion ▁▁ ▁Roman ▁Catholic ism ▁is ▁by ▁far ▁the ▁largest ▁religion ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁although ▁the ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁is ▁no ▁longer ▁officially ▁the ▁state ▁religion . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁ 8 7 . 8 % ▁of ▁Italy ' s ▁population ▁self - ident ified ▁as ▁Roman ▁Catholic , ▁although ▁only ▁about ▁one - third ▁of ▁these ▁described ▁themselves ▁as ▁active ▁members ▁( 3 6 . 8 %). ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 6 , ▁ 7 1 . 1 % ▁of ▁ital ian ▁citizens ▁self - ident ified ▁as ▁Roman ▁Catholic ,. ▁ ▁Most ▁It ali ans ▁believe ▁in ▁God , ▁or ▁a ▁form ▁of ▁a ▁spiritual ▁life ▁force . ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁most ▁recent ▁Euro bar ometer ▁Pol l ▁ 2 0 0 5 : ▁ 7 4 % ▁of ▁Italian ▁citizens ▁respond ed ▁that ▁' they ▁believe ▁there ▁is ▁a ▁God ', ▁ 1 6 % ▁answered ▁that ▁' they ▁believe ▁there ▁is ▁some ▁sort ▁of ▁spirit ▁or ▁life ▁force ' ▁and ▁ 6 % ▁answered ▁that ▁' they ▁do ▁not ▁believe ▁there ▁is ▁any ▁sort ▁of ▁spirit , ▁God , ▁or ▁life ▁force '. ▁ ▁There ▁are ▁no ▁data ▁collected ▁through ▁census . ▁ ▁Christian ity ▁ ▁The ▁Italian ▁Catholic ▁Church ▁is ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁global ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁under ▁the ▁leadership ▁of ▁the ▁Pope , ▁cur ia ▁in ▁Rome , ▁and ▁the ▁Conference ▁of ▁Italian ▁B ish ops . ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁Italy , ▁two ▁other ▁so