(inscription in the altar of the Salerno Cathedral in Italy).

The Italian witchcraft or folk magic I write about has absolutely nothing to do with the 'harm none' neo-paganism that it is often associated with. It is a balanced art. An art that contains both light and dark. It can be all-healing or all-destructive. A practitioner of Italian witchcraft does not 'turn the other cheek' when there is a threat. Nor do they merely hide in 'a protective circle'. Retribution is meted out swiftly and as per the offense, and then some. Just to make sure the attacker get's the message. Conjurations with respect to protection are carried out daily and matter-of-factly to maintain a constant level of psychic impermeability.

"Who is the Black Madonna? She is our Mother Earth, the Female Principle, our Primordial Mother, symbol of Wisdom and integration and resolution of the opposites."

"In Eastern traditions, the Black Madonna motif appears as the Dark Goddesses exemplified by Kali, the frightful creator/destroyer."

The Black Madonna of Viggiano has long protected her mountain villagers in southern Italy, and her people brought her to America.
She is the Madonna of the 'wise women'. The Madonna of healing and cursing, birth and death. This is the Madonna of the devout... sorceresses. The Strega's Goddess.

Learn more about the Black Madonna.