ver eign ▁nations ▁are ▁included ▁in ▁Italian - based ▁dioc eses , ▁San ▁Mar ino ▁and ▁V at ican ▁City . ▁There ▁are ▁ 2 2 5 ▁dioc eses ▁in ▁the ▁Italian ▁Catholic ▁Church , ▁see ▁further ▁in ▁this ▁article ▁and ▁in ▁the ▁article ▁List ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁dioc eses ▁in ▁Italy . ▁Even ▁though ▁by ▁law ▁V at ican ▁City ▁is ▁not ▁part ▁of ▁Italy , ▁it ▁is ▁in ▁Rome , ▁and ▁along ▁with ▁Latin , ▁Italian ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁spoken ▁and ▁second ▁language ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Cur ia . ▁ ▁Italy ▁has ▁a ▁rich ▁Catholic ▁culture , ▁especially ▁as ▁numerous ▁Catholic ▁sain ts , ▁mart y rs ▁and ▁pop es ▁were ▁Italian ▁themselves . ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁art ▁in ▁Italy ▁especially ▁fl our ished ▁during ▁the ▁Middle ▁A ges , ▁Renaissance ▁and ▁Bar o que ▁periods , ▁with ▁numerous ▁Italian ▁artists , ▁such ▁as ▁Michel ang elo , ▁Leon ardo ▁da ▁V inci , ▁Rap ha el , ▁Car av aggio , ▁Fra ▁Angel ico , ▁Gian ▁Lorenzo ▁Bern ini , ▁Sand ro ▁B ott ic elli , ▁T int or etto , ▁Tit ian , ▁Rap ha el ▁and ▁Gi otto . ▁Roman ▁Catholic ▁architecture ▁in ▁Italy ▁is ▁equally ▁as ▁rich ▁and ▁impress ive , ▁with ▁churches , ▁bas il icas ▁and ▁c athed r als ▁such ▁as ▁St ▁Peter ' s ▁Bas il ica , ▁Florence ▁C athedral ▁and ▁St ▁Mark ' s ▁Bas il ica . ▁Roman ▁Catholic ism ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁religion ▁and ▁den om ination ▁in