Italian superstitions

**lubby** · 03-11-2009, 08:37 PM

The Evil Eye in Italian Superstition

The idea of “maloccio” (literally, evil eye) permeates Italian superstition. The hand sign of extending your pinkie and index finger, while keeping the others folded back, is supposed to ward off an evil spirit someone has cast on you. Wearing a tiny horn-shaped charm (the corno) around your neck is another way to eliminate evil curses.

Strangely, the evil spirit can be summoned by something as simple as a compliment. If someone tells you your baby is beautiful, the fates have been tempted. You must make the “horn” sign to protect your child. Did it work? Sprinkle drops of oil in a bowl of holy water. If the oil stays in drops, you’re okay. If the oil spreads out—big trouble. (To keep things interesting, some folks believe that if the oil stays in one blob, that is the evil eye

**lubby** · 03-11-2009, 08:37 PM

Superstition about Nuns

Superstitious Italians try to touch iron immediately after seeing a nun (unlucky), in order to preserve their good fortune. They may mutter, “Your nun!” at the next person they see, thereby passing on the bad luck to someone else.

The Sister Act, a modern-day Italian rap group led by Sister Alessandra Luna, is trying to change this belief. They’ve recorded a 12-track album titled “Your Nun!” featuring the cover song, “Your Nun! Touch Iron.”

Italian After-Death Rituals

After-death rituals are for keeping a dead person’s spirit from returning. A circuitous route is always taken by those carrying the coffin to the cemetery—and survivors madke sure to return home by another route. This is thought to confuse the dead. Salt is sometimes placed under the dead person’s head, to the same end.

Putting the deceased’s favorite items in the coffin is also believed to keep them from returning to retrieve their treasured possessions. If you forget an item, it is sometimes included in the next dead person’s casket—assuming that the first and the second will meet up in the hereafter.

**The Commish** · 03-12-2009, 10:02 AM

Most of the old world Italians still practice the Italian form of witchcraft, hence all the herbs and weird superstitions...

**Merlin** · 03-12-2009, 10:08 AM

Okay.

**Curly** · 03-12-2009, 10:29 AM

I still give people the "horns" and other things too! :

;D

**lubby** · 03-12-2009, 06:29 PM

i know when my friend's son was christend 2 years ago she had to buy the horn and another metal to pin on the babies outfit to ward off the evil spirits.

**Zen** · 03-12-2009, 09:06 PM

Lubby, I know who you're talking about, and she doesn't believe that, she and her husband just like to blindly follow traditions. They feel more hip if they're doing the same thing someone else is doing. Which ever way the wind is blowing....