Rome

Stored: Rome

Populated Place: Rome
41.9028, 12.4964
Status (Church Vitality):	Active
Historic:	Yes
Type:	City
Country:	Italy
Subdivision:	Lazio
Founded:
Population:	2870000
Catholic Population:
Catholic Percentage:	82%
Official Languages:
Catholicism Introduced:
Catholicism Status:
Parishes:	331
Notable Catholic Sites:	St. Peter's Basilica; Archbasilica of St. John Lateran; Basilica of St. Mary Major; Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls; Pantheon (Basilica of St. Mary ad Martyres)
Patron Saint:	Saint Philip Neri
Website:	https://www.comune.roma.it

Rome (Italian: Roma) is the eternal capital of Italy and the seat of the Diocese of Rome, the apostolic see of the Bishop of Rome—the Pope—who governs the universal Catholic Church from the Vatican City enclave. With a municipal population of approximately 2,870,000 as of 2025 estimates within a metropolitan area exceeding 4.3 million, Rome encompasses the heart of Christendom, where the faith was born in the blood of martyrs and flourishes through 331 parishes serving 2.59 million baptized faithful. As the cradle of Christianity in the West, Rome draws over 10 million pilgrims annually to its basilicas, catacombs, and relics, embodying the Church's timeless mission of evangelization and sacramental life amid the Eternal City's ancient grandeur.

History

Rome's Christian origins trace to the apostles, with tradition holding that Saints Peter and Paul preached and martyred here in the 1st century AD, establishing the Church on the Tiber.

Early Settlement

Founded legendarily in 753 BC by Romulus, pagan Rome evolved into an imperial capital. By AD 42, according to hagiographic accounts, Saint Peter arrived, ordained the first bishop, and was crucified upside-down under Nero in 64–67 AD; Saint Paul was beheaded nearby. The catacombs of San Callisto and San Sebastiano, burial sites for early popes, evidence underground Eucharistic celebrations during persecutions.

Catholic Evangelization

Constantine's Edict of Milan (313 AD) legalized Christianity, prompting basilica constructions like St. John Lateran (324 AD), the Pope's cathedral. The 5th century saw barbarian invasions, yet Rome's see asserted primacy at the Council of Chalcedon (451 AD). The Donation of Pepin (756 AD) birthed the Papal States, blending spiritual and temporal authority until 1870. The Great Schism (1054) separated East and West, but Rome endured as the Petrine center.

Medieval milestones include the Fourth Lateran Council (1215), defining transubstantiation, and the Avignon Papacy (1309–1377), resolved by the Council of Constance (1417). The Renaissance popes, like Julius II, commissioned Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel (1508–1512), while the Counter-Reformation's Council of Trent (1545–1563) reaffirmed doctrines from Roman basilicas.

Modern Faith Life

Italian unification captured Rome in 1870, confining the Pope to the Vatican until the 1929 Lateran Treaty established its sovereignty. Vatican II (1962–1965), convened by St. John XXIII, reshaped liturgy from St. Peter's Square. Today, under Pope Francis (since 2013), the diocese fosters synodality, with Jubilee 2025 expecting 35 million pilgrims for plenary indulgences and renewal. Diocesan statistics report 2,680 priests across 331 parishes, sustaining vibrant sacraments amid 82% Catholic adherence.

Geography and demographics

Rome sprawls at across 1,285 square kilometers of the Lazio plain, traversed by the Tiber River and ringed by seven hills symbolic of the Church's universality.

As of 2025, the city proper numbers 2,870,000 inhabitants, with Catholics at 82% (about 2.35 million baptized in the diocese). Italian is official; Latin persists in Vatican liturgies, with multilingual Masses for global pilgrims.

The Diocese of Rome, coextensive with the city, comprises 331 parishes and 245 missions, supported by 149 deacons and 26,297 religious. Iconic sacramental sites include St. Peter's Basilica (Renaissance masterpiece, papal tomb, Bernini's baldachin over Peter's relics); Archbasilica of St. John Lateran (cathedral, apostles' heads reliquaries); Basilica of St. Mary Major (Marian crib relics, snow miracle mosaic); Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls (Paul's chains, modern ecumenical hub); and Pantheon (Basilica of St. Mary ad Martyres) (ancient temple converted 609 AD, Raphael's tomb). Devotions to Saint Philip Neri (26 May), Rome's patron, inspire Oratorian youth apostolates.

Government and culture

Rome's mayoral-council governance integrates with Vatican diplomacy. Catholic feasts enliven the calendar: Corpus Christi procession from Lateran to St. Mary Major; St. Peter's Feast (29 June) with papal fireworks; and Jubilee 2025 Holy Doors openings drawing global throngs.

Baroque splendor defines sacred architecture: Bramante's St. Peter's dome overlooks Bernini's colonnades, while Borromini's San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane exemplifies Counter-Reformation genius. The Vatican Museums house Michelangelo's Last Judgment, underscoring Rome's artistic patrimony.

Notable Catholic figures

• Saint Peter (d. c. 64–67 AD) – Prince of the Apostles; first Bishop of Rome; crucified martyr.
• Saint Paul the Apostle (d. c. 64–67 AD) – Apostle to the Gentiles; beheaded on Ostian Way.
• Saint Philip Neri (1515–1595) – "Apostle of Rome"; Oratorian founder; patron of the city.
• Saint Ignatius of Loyola (1491–1556) – Jesuit founder; composed Spiritual Exercises here.
• Saint Catherine of Siena (1347–1380) – Doctor of the Church; influenced return from Avignon.
• Saint John Bosco (1815–1888) – Salesian founder; ministered to Roman youth.

Related

• Italy
• Lazio
• Diocese of Rome
• Philip Neri
• Seven Pilgrim Churches of Rome