The Church, a Symbolic Resource in Preserving the Identity of Romanian Immigrants and an Important Agent of Integration into Italian Society

This article aims to investigate the role of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Italy in alleviating the stress of acculturation, facilitating the socio-cultural integration of Romanian immigrants, and valorizing the Romanian cultural, traditional, and identity heritage. The study has a qualitative character and uses semi-structured interviews conducted in ten Romanian Orthodox parishes in Italy, examining how the involvement of immigrants in church activities shapes their belonging and integration in the local community. The research emphasizes, in addition to the specific worship activities of the church, the social and cultural activities that support Romanian immigrants and especially those in need. The research results indicate that Romanian Orthodox churches have the role of creating social ties and facilitating active civic participation. The church thus becomes a provider of refuge and respectability and an important agent of integration. Beyond the religious aspect, the Orthodox churches in Italy have provided Romanian immigrants with symbolic resources to enable positive self-identification, places and opportunities to interact with other Romanians, as well as essential services for integration into the labour market and Italian society.