Exciting News!

We want to share with you some exciting news about Italy that has been in the works here for over twenty years. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in now considered an official religious denomination in Italy. The OGC  here in Frankfurt has been quite involved in opening the doors to this country.

Here is the news clip from KSL.com:

Italy Grants LDS Church Official Status

SALT LAKE CITY — The Italian government has granted The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with official status as a church and partner of the state.

Italian Pres. Georgio Napolitano signed the Intesa con lo Stato on July 30.

The intesa was approved May 13, 2010, by the country's Council of Ministers, and was approved by the Senate in July. Napolitano's signature officially moves the religion from its former status as a charity to that of a church.

The church had been recognized by the country as a charitable institution since 1993.

Few religions have been granted the highest status with the Italian government: among them are the Catholic, Baptist and Methodist churches.

The legal agreement gives the LDS church more freedom in the country as both a church and social institution.

"It will eliminate current barriers that frequently interfere with our Church leaders performing marriages and otherwise ministering, it will smooth the process for obtaining visas for missionaries and mission presidents, and it will grant unquestioned freedom for the Church to perform any functions or activities deemed essential to its worldwide mission," said John Zackrison, director of the International Coordinating Committee for the Church.