Figure 1.--These children have just received their First Communion. The portrait was taken in San Pier Niceto, a village in eastern Sicily, during the 1950s. The girls wear the traditional white dresses with veils; the boys white trousers and shirts. However, the boy in the middle of the front row is clothed as a Franciscan friar: brown habit and sandals. His head was shaved in conformity with the Franciscan tonsure. In the background we can see an image of the Franciscan Saint Anthony of Padua. The boy's clothing was a sign of his parents' devotion to the Saint. Probably the child's recovery from some sickness or his safety from some danger were ascribed to the Saint. This would be much less likely today.

The decline of religion and religiosity in modern Europe is an interesting topic. Italy is an especially interesting aspect of overall trends in Europe because the Church was once such an important force. The position of the Church changed after World War II with a new Consitution. The experience of World War II rather than legal cobstitutionsal changes may have been a key element in this shift. It is a general phenomenon throughout Europe. The role of the Church in the lives of individuals has changed markedly. The Communist Party after the War became a major force in Italy. Even so, most Italians even Communists had their children do their First Communion and were married in churches. It is interesting to note that in Italy with one dominant religion that has often been supported by the state, the status of the Church has steadily declined in the modern age. One report we read suggests that only about 10 percent of Italians now regularly attend church, although most Italians continue to identify themselves as Catholic. In contrast, in America without an established church, religion has remained a major factor in the national life although has also been affected by secluralizing trends. The long term impact of this de-Christianizing trend is yet to be seen.

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Created: 2:11 PM 2/28/2005
Last updated: 8:18 AM 6/14/2009