Did you know that four Italian cities – Rome, Reggio Calabria, Syracuse, and Pozzuoli – are mentioned in the Bible, or that the first non-Jew that the Apostles converted to Christianity was an Italian? It is safe to say that Christianity itself might well have remained a minor Middle Eastern sect had it not been for the Italian domination of the Mediterranean two millennia ago.

The legions of Italy had eliminated borders, constructed a marvelous network of highways, planted colonies of veterans across the far-flung empire, and secured the sea lanes of the Mediterranean. What better conditions would there be for Apostles to travel and preach the Gospel?