Religious confraternities in Milan retained much of their vitality until abolished by Joseph II in the 1780s. While Milanese historiography was primarily concerned with explaining why the authorities moved against them, in a comparative framework one can also ask why they lasted so long, since in many cities and regions of the old Catholic Europe, they declined rapidly from the mid eighteenth century. The answer lies in their role in the religious, social, political, and economic life of the city, and especially in the identity and self-image of the people of Milan. This example points to the need to nuance general explanations of religious change, which emphasizes economic or demographic factors, and to take into account local factors and issues of identity.