Italy
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27,702
Total Church Membership
Population vs. Church Members
10
Stakes
94
Congregations
56
Family History Centers
1
Temples
2
Missions
History
In 1843, Joseph Toronto (born Giuseppe Taranto) became the first known Italian convert to the Church when he was baptized in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1849, Toronto was among the first missionaries to his homeland when he accompanied Apostle Lorenzo Snow and others in opening the mission. This first mission was short-lived; it was closed in 1867.
In 1910, Vincenzo di Francesca gained a testimony of the Book of Mormon while living in New York City; he continued to live by its precepts after he returned to Italy in 1914, though he did not learn for years where the book came from. The Church was not reestablished in Italy until the 1950s, when a number of Italians learned of the gospel in other countries and returned home to share the message with friends and family. The first Italian-speaking branches were formed in Brescia and Palermo.
In 1966, the Italian Mission was reestablished with headquarters in Rome. Over the last 50 years, the Church has made steady progress. The Italian Saints, like their counterparts in former days, are a people who “live by faith” (Romans 1:17) and are “full of goodness” (Romans 15:14). In 2008, when the Church announced a temple would be built in Rome, there were more than 20,000 members in Italy.
For Journalist Use Only
Ether Simoncini
+39 338 570 9013
Raimondo Castellani
Cell. +39 339 601 6243
Africa
Total Church Membership
736,701
Members
2,476
Congregations
Missions
39Missions
Family History Centers
Temples
5Temples
Asia
Total Church Membership
1,259,094
Members
2,110
Congregations
Missions
45Missions
Family History Centers
Temples
8Temples
Europe
Total Church Membership
500,239
Members
1,350
Congregations
Missions
34Missions
Family History Centers
Temples
14Temples
North America
Total Church Membership
9,489,479
Members
18,476
Congregations
Missions
174Missions
Family History Centers
Temples
112Temples
Oceania (Pacific)
Total Church Membership
587,462
Members
1,301
Congregations
Missions
18Missions
Family History Centers
Temples
10Temples
South America
Total Church Membership
4,232,425
Members
5,602
Congregations