Edited sentence: " Catholic clergy and laypersons receive state remuneration in addition to the stipends paid to them by the Church.An agreement signed with the Vatican in 1980 grants the Catholic Church special status in Peru.Article 50 of the Constitution recognizes the Catholic Church's role as "an important element in the historical, cultural, and moral development of the nation.Catholicism is the only religion taught in public schools.For example, virtually every public park in Peru has the statue of the Virgin Mary or a Roman Catholic saint.In addition each diocese receives a monthly institutional subsidy from the Government.In addition, Catholic religious symbols are found in all government buildings and public places.The Catholic Church receives preferential treatment in education, tax benefits, immigration of religious workers, and other areas, in accordance with the agreement.The Peruvian government is closely allied with the Catholic Church.The law mandates that all schools, public and private, impart religious education as part of the curriculum throughout the education process (primary and secondary).This applies to the country's 52 bishops, as well as to some priests whose ministries are located in towns and villages along the borders