Although 88
percent of Italians identify themselves as Catholic, the majority of them do
not know the Bible. A recent report by Eurisko, commissioned by the Vatican, reveals that only 14 percent of Italian
nationals are able to answer correctly basic questions about the Holy
Scriptures.
Eurisko’s survey included people in the United States, Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, the Philippines, Argentina and Hong Kong. Only 27 percent of
Italians polled said they had read a passage from the Bible in the last 12
months, compared to 75 percent of Americans. Thirty-two percent of Italians
surveyed reported regularly attending church services, whereas 55 percent of
Poles and 45 percent of Americans claimed to do so.