Searching for comfort in religion: insecurity and religious behaviour during the COVID-19 pandemic in Italy

The impact that the COVID-19 pandemic had on the lives of many isindisputable. Among the possible strategies to cope with the feeling ofinsecurity that comes with this, religion can play a significant role. Usingfirst-hand data from the ResPOnsE COVID-19 rolling cross-section survey, thisarticle shows that Italian people who reported a COVID-19 contagion in theirfamily reported also higher religiosity both in terms of attendance atreligious services (via web, radio and tv) and prayer during the pandemic.The result holds primarily for those who received religious socializationduring their childhood, and this reinforces the role of family transmission as away to shape religious beliefs and behaviours and to provide individuals withreligious coping strategies. Thesefindings suggest that under dramaticcircumstances a short-term religious revival is possible, even in contextswhere the process of secularization is ongoing.