Who started the Catholic religion in Italy?

Answer 1

The Italian Catholic Church is part of the global Roman Catholic Church, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope Christianity arrived on the Italian peninsula in the first century, probably by unknown travelers, traders or soldiers. Letter to the Romans of Paul the Apostle is addressed and attests to the presence of Roman Christians the first century. Christians in Rome were also in touch with St. Peter and St. Paul the Apsotle both of whom went to Rome on mission and were eventually martyred there. One of the first Italian bishops and popes was Clement of Rome who wrote an Epistle (I CLEMENT) around 96 AD.

Answer 2

St. Peter, no doubt, brought the faith to Rome, as is discussed in the article at the link below. Every one of his successors has been at Rome, and St. Peter's Basilica is built over his tomb. Excavations under the high altar at St. Peter's proved this (see second link). St. Paul was also martyred at Rome, although this was after the faith was established there. St. Paul is buried in St. Paul-Outside-the-Walls Basilica, and this, too, is firmly established.

from "Catholic Answer Tract"

In order to escape the truth of the doctrine of the papacy, according to which the bishop of Rome is the successor of Peter, some Fundamentalists have tried to deny that Peter ever went to Rome.

But the historical evidence reveals that this assertion is untenable. In his first epistle, Peter tells his readers that he is writing from "Babylon" (1 Pet. 5:13), which was a first-century code word for the city of pagan Rome. Further, the Fathers are unanimous in declaring that he went to Rome and was martyred there under the pagan emperor Nero.

This being the case, the historical evidence is unambiguous in declaring that Peter went to Rome.

Answer 3

We do not know who brought Christianity to Rome. We know from Paul's Epistle to the Romans that the religion was already well established in Rome before he first went to Rome and while Peter was clearly still based in Palestine.

We do not even know whether Peter ever went to Rome but it is unlikely, although a second-century Roman Christian tradition is that he was beheaded in Rome, amended in the third century to say that he was crucified upside down in Rome. Paul does seem to have gone to Rome, at least briefly, but Clement of Rome, writing some fifty year later (1 Clement) seems to have believed he went on to Spain and spent his remaining years there. The actual remains of Peter and Paul are probably in Palestine and Spain respectively.