Sardinian, Logudorese in Italy

Introduction / History

The Logudorese Sardinians are an ethnolinguistic group from Sardinia, an autonomous region of Italy. Part of that region is known as Logudoro, and is known for rugged landscape, medieval towns, and strong preservation of traditional Sardinian culture, including folk music and dance, oral poetry, and religious festivals. Their language, Logudorese Sardinian, preserves more of the features of Latin than other Romance languages. It is the first language of most adults, with younger generations shifting more toward Italian. The people became Roman Catholic during the Middle Ages. A network of parishes and monasteries of medieval origin is still extant today, showing influence from both Byzantine and Latin sources.

What Are Their Lives Like?

They are a deeply pastoral people with an economy based in agriculture.

What Are Their Beliefs?

The Logudorese are overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. Small congregations of evangelicals exist in a few larger cities and amongst immigrant groups, but they are tiny compared to the Catholic majority. Protestant doctrines are seen as foreign, and Catholicism part of the Sardinian heritage.

What Are Their Needs?

The land sits on an extinct volcanic formation. Erosion is a problem on the plateaus, landslides in the hilly areas, and water management in all areas due to the porous nature of the rock. The area is subject to rural depopulation, shrinking towns, youth migration, and difficulty maintaining necessary services. Its heavy dependence on agriculture makes the area vulnerable to drought cycles and the need for irrigation.

Prayer Points

Pray that the Logudorese realize their need not only for rituals, but for repentance and trust in Christ.
Pray that evangelical churches will become attractively active in sharing the gospel with those around them.
Pray that the Logudorese church may become strongly biblical so that it may take its place in world evangelism.

Text Source:   Joshua Project