Italy

Country
The boot-shaped peninsula of Italy, extending continental Europe into the Mediterranean Sea, was once the center of the great Roman Empire. Rome itself was influenced by the ancient culture of the Etruscans and on its way to power after 300 B.C., it had adopted much of the Greek culture. The Roman Empire, then itself, extending its influence from the British Isles to India, gave birth to much of Western civilization and culture. And even after its collapse, the Italian Peninsula continued to be a center of many artistic, cultural and architectural inventions. By the fifth century A.D. the Western Roman Empire had fallen to a number of invasions and the peninsula was divided into separate political regions for many centuries. Italy united as country as late as 1861. Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini ruled the country from 1922 to 1943, but after World War II, Italy established itself as a democratic republic in the 1946 elections.

But Italy, and specifically Rome, is also part of the history of the Christian Church and the center of the Roman Catholic Church, which in itself has become a new temporal and spiritual power.

People/Society
Italian society in the past was very much divided between the north and the south and regional differences were regarded as highly important. Today, because of the improved economic and social conditions in the southern regions and the influence of the media, differences between the regions are diminishing. Still, people in the industrialized north traditionally value punctuality, reliability, organization and economic success. They are less relaxed and view time as a resource that should not be wasted. People in the south are appreciated for their warm character and friendliness. They enjoy a leisurely life and take their time doing business. Family values are more appreciated that economic success. Generally speaking, one could say that Italians highly value social interaction, their family, health, serenity and financial security.

Religion
Nearly 90 percent of Italy’s population of 58 million is Roman Catholic, although only one-third of this number attends services regularly. Secularism is indeed appealing to many segments of society. However, many Catholics are finding alternate ways to worship, e.g. through pilgrimages, informal gatherings for prayer, etc. There are some Protestant churches in the country, of which the Pentecostal church is the largest, and a growing Muslim immigrant community.

History
The history of the Church of the Nazarene in Italy goes back to the year 1947 and to one person – Rev. Alfredo del Rosso. Rev. del Rosso had a Waldensian background and while he was studying at the Waldensian Theological School, he was led to a church where he learned of the experience of entire sanctification and was filled with the Spirit. Since his teaching was not welcomed in other churches, he began an independent work and soon had congregations in four cities – Florence, Rome, Civitaveccia, and Montalchino. After WW II, he was ministering among the American GI’s and was excited to find Nazarene soldiers who shared his holiness persuasions. He also learned that the doctrines he had been preaching coincided with those of the Church of the Nazarene. Thus, in 1947 he and his four congregations became part of the Church of the Nazarene. Protestant churches in Italy at that time had a difficult stand, all those who left the Catholic Church to join the evangelicals were severely persecuted and ostracized; no church property could be owned. Still, the work grew and expanded, new missionaries were sent to Italy, new property was donated to the church and in 1961 the Church of the Nazarene was given official government recognition. By the late 1970’s a full church district program was in place. In 1977, Rev. Salvatore Scognamiglio, who was among the first students at European Nazarene Bible College, was appointed as the first national district superintendent.

On the field, the Church of the Nazarene is ministering in the following countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, Romania and Slovenia