When you think of Christianity in Italy, what comes to mind?
Perhaps the Vatican, St. Peter’s Basilica, and centuries of Catholic tradition. But tucked into cities and communities across Italy is another story of faith.
Methodism arrived in Italy during the Risorgimento (the movement that unified Italy), when both British and American missionaries arrived with a conviction that the country was ready for a fresh spiritual awakening.
In 1859, William Arthur of the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society toured Italy and came home convinced that Methodists should go and stand alongside the Italian evangelicals already there. He was not the only one.
In 1861, a British pastor named Henry J. Piggott arrived and around 1870, the American Methodist Episcopal Church sent Leroy M. Vernon. That made two Methodist traditions in one country. And instead of competing, they agreed to work side by side.
Churches took root in big cities and tiny villages. They grew among farmworkers in Sicily and among laborers digging the Simplon tunnel. In the fishing town of Pozzuoli, a former friar turned Methodist pastor, Francesco Sciarelli, stood up for fishermen and workers and campaigned for a weekly day of rest.
Then came Fascism. Then war. The two Methodist missions were squeezed hard. But they didn’t quit.
In 1946, the two branches became one Evangelical Methodist Church of Italy. In 1962, it became autonomous. And in 1975, Italian Methodists entered a Pact of Integration with the Waldensian Church, one of the oldest Protestant communities in the world, bringing two Protestant traditions together in shared ministry.
Today, the Opera per le Chiese Evangeliche Metodiste in Italia (OPCEMI) consists of approximately 2,700 members who worship in around 50 congregations across the country.
Throughout Italy, Methodist congregations are finding meaningful ways to put their faith into action.
In southern Italy, community centers provide food assistance, educational support for children, and practical help for families experiencing hardship.
In northern Italy, Methodist ministries have supported housing initiatives for migrants and refugees.
And near Rome, the Ecumene Center brings young people together for biblical education, spiritual formation, and conversations about faith and society.
One of the remarkable things about Methodism in Italy today is its growing multicultural character.
As people from Africa, Asia, and other parts of the world make Italy their home, Methodist congregations are becoming places where different languages, cultures, and traditions come together in worship.
In a country where Methodists represent a small minority, these congregations continue to bear witness to the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.
And that is worth celebrating!
Heavenly Father, thank you for the faithful witness of Methodist believers throughout Italy. For generations, You have sustained these congregations and called them to share Your love. Strengthen their pastors, lay leaders, and members. Give them wisdom as they serve increasingly diverse communities, courage as they proclaim the gospel, and compassion as they care for those who are vulnerable. Bless their ministries among children, young people, migrants, refugees, and families in need. May their churches be places of belonging, and spiritual renewal. Unite them in Your love, fill them with Your Holy Spirit, and open new doors for the good news of Jesus Christ to be shared throughout Italy. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
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