09-07-2026
News
Do Italians still visit cemeteries?
Italians continue to visit cemeteries, but habits are changing due to fewer visits, rising cremations and new digital forms of remembrance.
A recent study by Orme – Observatory for Research on Death and Funerary Practices of the Istituto Cattaneo, commissioned by Sefit‑Utilitalia, shows that Italian cemeteries are far from abandoned. 69% of respondents visited a cemetery at least once in the past year, and 43% did so for All Souls’ Day. Visits increase with age and are more frequent after a recent loss: 81% of those who experienced the death of a close relative visited a cemetery in the last twelve months.
However, the research highlights a long‑term trend: over the past six years, cemetery visits have decreased by 8 percentage points, influenced by changing family habits, the rise of cremation, and new domestic and digital forms of remembrance. Despite this shift, cemeteries remain central places of memory, relationships and belonging.
However, the research highlights a long‑term trend: over the past six years, cemetery visits have decreased by 8 percentage points, influenced by changing family habits, the rise of cremation, and new domestic and digital forms of remembrance. Despite this shift, cemeteries remain central places of memory, relationships and belonging.