Italy Aims to Tax Catholic Church Property
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The Santuario della Verna monastery in eastern Tuscany was established in the 13 century to commemorate a miracle: the appearance of stigmata wounds on the body of St. Francis of Assisi as he prayed in a nearby cave.
Almost as miraculous are the rates that the monastery charges for a night in one of its 72 guest rooms: €52 (about $68), including meals in the downstairs refectory. One reason for the low prices is that the monastery pays no property taxes. Under Italian law, most buildings owned by the Catholic Church are tax-exempt, even if used for commercial purposes.