You are asked to keep quiet.
see PREH-gah dee FA-reh see-LEN-tsyo.
Both to understand a sign you see inside a church and to politely remind other visitors to be quiet. Noise in Italian churches can be intrusive to worshippers.
Si prega di is the formal impersonal construction meaning 'you are asked to' or 'please'. Fare silenzio means to keep quiet or to be silent. This phrase appears on signs inside Italian churches and religious sites.
Abbassate la voce, per favore.
Lower your voices, please.
More direct request to speak more quietly.
Questo è un luogo di culto — rispettate il silenzio.
This is a place of worship — please respect the silence.
More emphatic reminder of the church's primary function.
C'è qualcuno che sta pregando.
Someone is praying here.
Gentle notification when near worshippers.
Italian churches are first and foremost places of worship. The tension between the role of churches as spiritual spaces and tourist attractions is ongoing. Signs requesting silence and appropriate behaviour are universal — respecting them is essential for maintaining the welcome that Italian parishes extend to visitors.