Didi, I probably know more Italians than you met in your little tourist trip there, including many politicians and academics. I know the history a lot better than you do. Any Italian Bishop would even be honest enough to tell you what I said before.
Italy, like Spain and France, has regions that are religious, and other regions that are outright anti-religious, especially in the south and in the industrial cities. There are strong historical reasons for this (ie the legacy of feudalism and the close ties between the Church and the landowners).
Clem, I repeat—I lived and worked in Italy for years. It was hardly a tourist trip. But then you seem to know it all so...di nuovo, buona notte!