The publication, Famiglia Cristiana, has conducted a survey on various aspects of the Italians relations with saints.

In prayers in which a saint is invoked, Padre Pio is clear favourite, with 31 per cent of invocations. He is followed by S. Antonio (25 per cent), the Madonna (9 per cent), S. Francesco dAssisi (7 per cent), S. Rita and S. Giuseppe (4 per cent) and Jesus (2 per cent).

Other interesting figures:

Of practising Catholic, 70 per cent invoke a saint in the course of their prayers, and 71 per cent have an image of a saint in their wallet, car or house, of which 48 per cent are of Padre Pio and 18 per cent of S. Antonio.

96 per cent of practising Catholics know that S. Gennaro is the patron saint of Naples, 83 per cent that S. Marco is patron saint of Venice, while only 29 per cent know that S. Petronio is the patron saint of Bologna.