Abstract

On 18 February 1984 Italy and the Holy See signed an agreement at Villa Madama replacing the Concordat of 1929. Three days later an agreement between the State and Waldensians and Methodists was also signed, paving the way for future agreements with ten more denominations. The article summarizes the legacy of 1984 in a Decalogue of principles that emerged over the last thirty years. While being the by-product of Villa Madama, the Decalogue ended up reshaping the interaction of law and religion in Italy, well beyond what could be expected in 1984.