Rue's Kitchen
Italian Folk Healing and Magic
Italian Americans have long been defined by their religious beliefs and practices. During the great wave of immigration, the Irish-dominated Roman Catholic hierarchy identified Italian immigrants as the "Italian problem" and mere "sacramental Catholics" due to the latter's popular anti-clericalism, the seamless blending of witchcraft and ecclesiastic teachings, their deep devotion to the cult of the saints and the Virgin Mary, and the spectacularly staged feste that mixed the sacred and the profane in streets across America. During the 20th century, Italian American spirituality and religious…
About Me
"Rue is both a traditional and Saint Magic healer. She breaks the stereotype of an uneducated person steeped in superstition. She is a registered nurse who combines skills as a psychic medium, natural health consultant and Reiki master into her healing practice." ~Eric K. Lerner
I am an only child born in New England to Italian immigrant parents. My paternal grandmother was a healer in her town in southern Italy. She divined people's futures, brewed home remedies from herbs, removed curses, performed blessings, as well as the laying on of hands . My…
Magie, Sorcellerie & Croyances
La Magie est l'art d'agir sur les forces occultes, que ce soit pour nuire à un ennemi ou au contraire pour protéger ou guérir ceux qui sont atteints par des puissances maléfiques. Dans le premier cas, on parle généralement de magie noire ou de sorcellerie, et dans le second, on parle de magie blanche.
La Corse désigne par le terme de ochju (oeil) les forces occultes dont un individu est victime.
Le mauvais œil peut-être donné par les vivants c'est << innochju >> ou par les morts, << imbuscada >>.
Streghe e lupi mannari
Guardia Sanframondi,Streghe e lupi mannari raccontati da bambini di 30 anni fa. ~lavomma
The Significance of Nicknames in Italian-American Culture and the Novel Christ In Concrete
My paternal grand-father was Francesco Roselli. His nick-name was, and he was best known as Ciccillo Caricaleggio. ~Rue
by Sharon Leggio
Nicknames. They are something that everyone is familiar with in one way or another. However, most people have little, if any, personal experience with nicknames. In Italian-American culture, nicknames play a major role in everyday life. Nicknames are formed with a certain unspoken format, and they have a particular importance. In Italian-American culture nicknames, even though to others they may seem harsh and cruel, are terms of endearment and give a…
Christ in Concrete and the Failure of Catholicism
by Sarah Benelli
Pietro DiDonato’s Christ in Concrete is a powerful narrative of the struggles and culture of New York’s Italian immigrant laborers in the early twentieth century. Jerre Mangione and Ben Morreale, in their historical work La Storia, state that "Never before or since has the aggravation of the Italian immigrant been more bluntly expressed by a novelist" (368). A central component of this "aggravation", both for DiDonato as an author and for his protagonist Paul, is the struggle to reconcile traditional religious beliefs and customs with the failure of that very same faith to…
A Bronx Tale: Back on Broadway and Giving Back
HELP SUPPORT THE ITALIAN AMERICAN MUSEUM AND TAKE PART IN THIS UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY
Hi, I’m Chazz Palminteri and over the past few years I have been extremely blessed with all the amazing opportunities that have led to my current success. But I have never forgotten my roots and now that I am fortunate enough to have my story, A BRONX TALE, back on Broadway, we are going to donate $10 from every ticket sold through this offer to the Italian American Museum. I invite you…
Scongiuri (Salerno)
riti per curare il malocchio (2007)
S.Biase Ceraso (SA)
Contro la malaria
La febbre malarica con tutto il suo treno di sintomi e di conseguenze è creduta da alcuni prodotta da stregheria.
Una comare che crede possederne la facoltà si accosta al malato, scioglie del sale in acqua, spruzza di questa la casa, segna delle croci, tagliuzza sul petto di lui una crocetta di foglie di palma, recita un credo; fa cadere sui suoi piedi un po’ delle foglie tagliuzzate e dice:
Vi salutu pani e tassu,
Lu càudu e lu friddu ccà lu lassa;
Alleggiu la testa; m’aggrava…
Contro il mal di milza
Contro il tumore di milza per febbri miasmatiche ostinate:
a) Per tre mattine di seguito, in sul far dell’alba, si pricanta in questa maniera:
Un uomo sano o una donna sana che voglia guarire un altro, si volge verso l’oriente, e con un’accetta in mano sulla parte ammalata viene segnando tante croci quanti sono i seguenti versi; tenendo presente che all’ultimo verso debba lasciarsi cader di mano l’accetta. Il pricantu è questo:
Ti salutu, bon’alba e bonu Ddiu
Tagghiatimi la mèusa supra lu corpu miu:
Contro i vermi
a) Vermi di la virmaria,
Vermi chi si mancia a tia!
Vermi virdi, vermi farcuni,
Va’ circannu ficatu e prumuni.
Pi lu mè cumannamentu
Vattinni a lu funnamentu.
S. Cosimu e Damianu,
Siti medicu e siti suvranu:
Fùstivu medicu di nostru Signuri:
Allibirati stu criaturi. (Mazzara).
Versione: Verme del vermicaio – verme che possa mangiare te! – Verme verde, verme rapino (o anche: ladro) – vai in cerca di…
Contro il meteorismo, ossia matruni
Nella tradizione popolare la voce matruni è molto indefinita, e rappresenta una sofferenza di stomaco ambasciosa, non facile a comprendersi. In fondo in fondo è uno sviluppo di gas nel ventricolo in soggetti e in accessi isterici, che però qualche volta si giudica conseguenza di un verme molestissimo detto mascuni, costituente la verminazione.
Il nome di matruni, che è pure matrazza, viene da matri, utero.
La persona sofferente, che per lo più è una donna, si pone supina; la donna che deve pricontare (scongiurare) il male posa verticalmente il mignolo sull’ombelico della paziente…
Contro la colica intestinale
Lu Signuruzzu di l’Innii vinia;
Ha passatu di nni l’omu bonu
Ha truvatu la donna ria,
Reschi di pisci cci desi a mangiari,
E vinu-feli cci desi a bivìri;
Cci cunzò un lettu di pagghia di ’mmogghiu,
E fuj, dogghia, ca non ti vogghiu!
Versione: Il Signoruzzo veniva dalle Indie; – passò dalla casa dell’uomo dabbene: – dove trovò una triste donna. – Costei gli diede da mangiare lische di pesci; gli diè da bere vino (amaro come)…
Contro la palpitazione di cuore
Fermati cori, — ca Diu ti voli!
Fermati arma, — ca Gesù Cristu ti cumanna!
E’ firmata st’arma cu stu cori.
Cincu angili su’ partuti pi sanari stu malatu.
Santa Marta, Santa Maddalena e San Damianu,
Ca è medicu supranu
Prima ci passa la sò e po’ la mà manu.
Si recita tre volte e per tre giorni di seguito, girando la mano attorno al cuore. (Acicastello).
Contro la febbre del pelo (pilu di minna).
a) San Giusippuzzu do ’n balcuni stava:
Passanu tri zitidduzzi ca jèvunu all’acqua.
– Ch’aviti ca riditi e strarriditi?
– Jabbu di la me varba vi faciti?
Un pilu d’ ’a mè schirma,
Si ni va d’’a vostra minna?
Non putiri ripusari,
Mancu ’i figghi saziari!
– Matri! non ridemu e mancu strarridemu,
Jabbu di la vostra varba non facemu,
– Annunca, putiri ripusari
E ’i…
Contro i mali d’occhi
Lucia, Lucia
Spiaggia spiaggia di mari jìa;
La scuntrau Gesù e Maria,
Cci dissi: – Dunni va’, Lucia?
– E dunni hê jiri, Maria?
Sugnu spersa e nun sacciu la via.
Havi tri jorna e tri notti,
Ch’haju duluri ’nta l’occhi,
Chi nun pozzu cuitari.
– Pirchì ’un vinivi unni mia?
– E cu’ lu sapia, Maria?
– Ti nni vai ’nta lu mè ortu,
…
Contro le scottature
Tutti li cani di la canarìa
Arderu ’u focu duminicarìa;
Lu Signuri passau,
Lu focu astutau.
Diu ti salvi, o Maria, vergini e pura!
La carni cotta hâ ddivintari crura!
Versione: Tutti i cani della canarìa – accesero domenica il fuoco. – Passò il Signore, – spense il fuoco. – Dio ti salvi, o Maria, vergine e pura! – Possa la carne cotta diventare cruda!
Si recita tre volte il giorno e per tre giorni di seguito, sputando…
Per predire la sorte
Per ottenere grazia
1. A San Giorgio.
San Giorgi gluriusu,
Lu mè cori quant’è cunfusu!
Pi sta parma ch’aviti ’n brazza
Cunciditimi ’na grazia,
Cunciditimilla a mia,
Cà vi dicu ’na virmaria. (Càccamo).
2. Alle anime dei corpi decollati.
Armuzzi decullati,
Ca novi corpi siti:
Tri ammazzati,
Tri annijati,
Tri ’ntrimuliati,
Tutti novi vi junciti,
Per aver buone notizie
1. All’Arcangelo Raffaele.
O Angilu Raffaeli
Comu ti chiamu, prestu veni;
Iu ti chiamu ora ora.
Portimilla ’na bona nova.
Angilu Raffaeli miraculusu,
Lu mè cori è cunfusu,
Siti vistutu di rosi e di ciuri
Priatilu vui a nostru Signori. (Giarre).
(O angelo Raffaele, – vieni appena io ti chiamo: – io ti chiamo subito, – Portamela una buona nuova - Angelo Raffaele miracoloso, - ho il cuore confuso, - siete vestito…
Per avere notizie di persone lontane
1. Il Giudice giusto.
S’impara la notte di Natale e si recita per sapere notizie di cari lontani, per ottenere loro dal cielo buon viaggio, sicurezza personale e preservazione da tradimenti, calunnie e rigori indebiti di Giustizia.
Santissimu Gesù, judici giustu.
Supremu re, binignu Salvaturi,
Pri la vostra buntà e lu vostru gustu,
Scinnisti ’n terra pri li piccaturi,
Vi preu pirchì siti santu e giustu,
Pri vostra misiricordia, Signuri,
Comu fonti di grazia o…
Per ottenere la sicurezza nel viaggiare
Il Paternostro di San Giuliano.
Iddiu m’ hâ dari grazia e bona ’uci
A diri lu patannostru di S. Giulianu:
"San Giulianu l’auti munti
Prima cunta li passi tutti e poi li punti.
Comu ajutastivu a Noc ed Elia,
Ajutati a N. pi la via.
Calau jusu a la marina
E di l’amici so’ fu cunnannatu,
Tutti caderu pir terra a buccui
E N. arristau com’ un liuni.
…
Scongiuri (Palermo)
Contro il malocchio
1. Si mette in un piatto del sale grosso, in cinque pizzichi, così da formare come una croce, e vi si versa dell’acqua. Poi vi si fanno cadere sopra per tre volte cinque stille di olio, sempre in croce, e si recita lo scongiuro seguente:
Iu cogghiu st’occhiu
In nomu di Diu e di la santa Trinità,
Lu Patri, lu Figghiu e lu Spiritu Santu,
E cusì sarà;
La Santa Trinità,
Tri pirsuni divini
…
Il significato magico del Solstizio d’Inverno
di Luca Valentini
Tra qualche settimana avrà inizio il periodo delle celebrazioni e dei festeggiamenti per il Natale e, come ogni anno, la moltitudine globalizzata, con giustificazioni astrattamente religiose, si immergerà repentinamente e totalmente nella demonia del consumismo sfrenato, senza comprendere minimamente o implicitamente che in quei giorni specifici del ciclo annuale qualcosa di straordinario e di magico accade, un evento cosmico che assumeva un alto valore simbolico in tutte le forme assunte dalla Tradizione Primordiale. Questo nostro scritto è mirato proprio a precisare il suddetto aspetto tradizionale, compenetrandolo in una visione organica, che liberi il…
Tribal Paganism - Stregheria and Vernacular Magic in Italy: A Comparison
by Sabina Magliocco
Wed, Jan. 10th, 2007 09:55 pm
The distinction between contemporary Stregheria and traditional Italian magic, healing and spiritual practice has lately been the subject of lively debate on a number of listserves and websites. In this brief essay, I will attempt to summarize some of my academic publications on this theme for a non-scholarly audience, and to encourage further research, questions and discussion on this topic. I should state at the outset that my approach is academic: as an anthropologist and folklorist, I consider both Stregheria and Italian…
“Tenebrae Lucem praecedunt et illa est Mater.”
"Darkness precedes Light and She is Mother."
My site's tagline is from an inscription on one of the two altars of the Duomo (Cattedrale di S. Matteo)
Scongiuri Cilentano
La lunga serie di "scongiuri"sono retaggio della superstizione, ma anche dell'ultima traccia del mondo pagano-medioevale. Le forze della Natura sono viste come maligne o benigne, a seconda se arrecano malanni o portano bene. Queste ultime, che di solito si identificano coi Santi protettori, sono invocate; le altre invece vengono allontanate per mezzo di oggetti comuni (forbici, falce, olio, ecc.) sui quali si scarica la loro forza maligna. L'oggetto, di solito un arnese legato alla coltivazione, viene scagliato lontano o bruciato o sotterrato; tre momenti questi che racchiudono le simbologie classiche della Natura: la forza vitale che viene dalla terra…
evil eye, luck (good & bad) (3), malocchio
I came across this interesting item in the on-line version of the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica. In the section on Naples, there is a paragraph about folk-lore and, specifically, how Neapolitans ward of the "evil eye".
..charms against the Evil Eye...were all derived from the survival of ancient classical legends... These may be divided into three classes: first, the sprig of rue in silver, with sundry emblems attached to it, all of which refer to the worship of Diana, whose shrine at Capua was of considerable importance; secondly, the serpent charms, which formed part of the…
La Madonna Nera. Enigma?
di Alessio Varisco
"Nostra Signora di Oropa", una delle più celebri "Madonne nere" venerate in Italia.
Oltre alla "Madonna bianca", quella del latte, abbiamo quella "Nera". La storia dell'arte è madida di testimonianze artistiche, a volte anche di elevato valore contenutistico e stilistico, che a livello iconografico presentano una Madonna "bruna", una Vergine "nera". Le domande al riguardo si accrescono, centuplicandosi in maniera esponenziale. Su questo enigma, delle cosidette "Madonne nere" molto si è scritto all'Estero, minormente in Italia. Caratteristica peculiare…
San Cipriano
E’ tratta dall’Epistola VIII di questo santo scrittore latino che nacque verso l’anno 200 a Cartagine. E’ sempre un efficacissimo strumento di protezione in molte difficoltà della vita: leggiamola in latino, una delle “lingue magiche” per eccellenza, e portiamone sempre una copia con noi.
ROGEMUS PACEM MATURIUS REDDI, CITO LATEBRIS NOTRIS ET PERICULI SUBVENIRI, IMPLERI QUAE FAMULIS SUIS DOMINUS DIGNATUR OSTENDERE, REDINTRGRATIONEM ECCLESIAE, SECURITATEM SALUTIS NOSTRAE, POST PLUVIAS SERENITATEM, POST TENEBRAS LUCEM, POST PROCELLAS ET TURBINES PLACIDAM LENITATEM, PIA PATERNAE DILECTIONS AUXILIA, DIVINAE MAJESTATIS SOLITA…
Malocchio: Ever Present, All Seeing Evil Eye
by Peter Crawford
Even if you aren't given to musings about witches, black cats and various other superstitious beliefs, you may nevertheless have wondered about the evil eye, especially insofar as the term might apply to the way your boss sometimes looks at you.
The malocchio (mal = bad, occhio = eye) is a long-standing and still healthy tradition in Italy. Basically, it's believed to be caused by the bad thoughts of other people - especially envy. These bad thoughts are said to influence the lives of the person thought about, especially if…
Cucina Casalinga Abruzzese (Abruzzese Home Cooking)
This following recipes for Canneloni, Italian Wedding Soup, Osso Buco, Chicken with Tomato and, White Clam Sauce are remarkably identical to mine, that is my Abruzzese family recipes, but since I didn't have to type them up, I am more than happy to credit the author: http://www.dellarocchetta.com. ~Rue
Cannelloni
Make crepes and stack and put aside covered lightly.
4 eggs
1 cup flour
½ cup milk
½ tsp salt
½ cup chicken stock
1…
Sant’Antonio
One common thread among practitioners of Italian folk magic/healing is the widespread practice of requesting the intercession of their patron saints. Seasoned practitioners view this as a working relationship with their 'patrone'.
Saint Anthony of Padua is an example of a saint I inherited from my ancestors. My father was named after him and I've always had a working relationship with Sant'Antonio for matters involving my family's health and well-being.
Here follows some vital statistics on Saint Anthony. Maybe this will help you learn more so you will decide to adopt him as…
Roccoco’
farina kg. 1
zucchero gr. 800
mandorle leggermente tostate gr. 600
acqua tiepida gr. 400
scorza di arancia e cedro canditi gr. 200
pisto gr. 25 (cannella, noce moscata, chiodi di garofano, pepe bianco)
ammoniaca per pasticceria gr.5
buccia grattugiata di mandarino e arancia
Preparazione
* tritare meta' delle mandorle e, insieme a quelle intere, unirle a tutti gli altri ingredienti impastandoli con l'acqua tiepida
* lasciare riposare l'impasto per 30 minuti
* ricavare dall'impasto tanti bastoncini…
Sfinge de San Giuseppe
INGREDIENTS:
* 1lb. ricotta cheese
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1 tsp. vanilla
* 6 eggs
* 2 cups SELF- RISING flour
DIRECTIONS:
Mix ricotta cheese with sugar, vanilla and eggs.
Mix in Self-Rising flour and beat until smooth
Heat oil to 370 degrees.
Drop mixture by tablespoons a few at a time.
Remove from oil when they reach a golden brown.
Drain on absorbent paper.
Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar, cinnamon sugar or honey.
Best when…
Strufoli
INGREDIENTS:
* 2 cups sifted flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 3 eggs
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* 1 cup honey
* t tablespoon sugar
* 1 tablespoon tiny multicolored sprinkles
DIRECTIONS:
Set out deep fat fryer; heat to 365 degrees.
Place flour and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the center of flour. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing slightly after each addition. Add vanilla extract. Mix well to make a soft dough. Turn…
Zuccherini or Zuccarini
INGREDIENTS:
* 7 cups flour
* 6 tsp. baking powder
* 1-1/2 cups butter
* 1-1/2 cups sugar
* 6 eggs
* 1 large eating orange and the grated rind
* 1/2 cup orange juice
DIRECTIONS:
Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, rind and orange juice using electric mixer. With a wooden spoon, add flour and baking powder (that has been sifted together) a little at a time until it is all mixed well. Knead about two minutes. The dough will be…
Nonna Leone’s Cuccidati
Filling:
1 8oz pkg dried Mission figs hard tips removed
1 8oz pkg Mejool Dates stones removed
1 cup raisins
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup brandy
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup sliced/blanched almonds ,chopped and lightlytoasted
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped and lightly toasted
1/2 of the Large Hershey Bar - (6 - 8 oz size) coarsely chopped
…
Mostaccioli (Italian Spice Cookies)
INGREDIENTS:
COOKIES
* 2 sticks plus 4T margarine
* 2 cups sugar
* 1 pint half & half
* 6 cups flour
* 1 tsp baking soda
* 1 T cloves
* 1 T cinnamon
* 8 T cocoa
* 2 cups chopped walnuts
* 2 cups raisins
FROSTING
* 1 lb. box confectioner's sugar
* 2 T margarine
* 1 tsp vanilla
* Milk as needed.
DIRECTIONS:
Aunt Elsie’s Holiday Cookies
INGREDIENTS:
* 3/4 c. shortening
* 1/2 c. granulated sugar
* 3 eggs
* 2 tsp. vanilla
* 3 cups flour
* 4 tsp. baking powder
* Speck of salt
DIRECTIONS:
Cream shortening and sugar together. Add eggs one at a time. Beat well. Add vanilla. Sift flour, baking powder and salt together and add gradually to the creamed mixture. Mix well. If dough is too dry, add 1 to 3 tbs. of milk. Dough must be sticky. With fingers dipped in oil…
Zabaglione
INGREDIENTS:
* 8 Egg Yolks
* 1/4c. Granulated Sugar
* 1 c. Marsala
* 2 T. Brandy
* 1 T. Cold Water
DIRECTIONS: Beat egg yolks and sugar til light and creamy. Add Marsala
and Brandy, beating constantly with a wooden spoon. Add the water and mix well.
Pour mixture into top of double boiler, and cook over a slow fire until custard
thickens, DO NOT LET IT BOIL. Pour into sherbert or wine glasses.
Serve hot or cold. Serves 8.
…
Pink Grapefruit Granita
For the best color and flavor, I use Texas Ruby [also called Ruby Red] grapefruit. It gives a deep pink color and a sweet flavor.
6 or 7 medium sized grapefruit
1/2 cup [125ml] water
1 cup [250g] sugar
Mint sprigs
Orange zest strips for garnish
1. Set your freezer on its highest setting.
2. Squeeze the juice from the grapefruit and strain to produce a clear
juice. You need 3 to 3 and 1/2 cups [750-875ml] juice.
3. In a saucepan…
Cassata Siciliana
INGREDIENTS:
* 1 3/4 pound whole milk ricotta
* 2 cups sugar
* 5 squares baking chocolate (or equivalent of semi-sweet chips)
* 1 pound candied fruit
* 4 pounds pistachio or pine nuts, chopped
* 1 pound pan di spagna (traditional Italian sponge cake)
* 1/2 cup favorite liqueur (Maraschino, Amaretto, etc.)
* confectioners sugar
* ground cinamon
DIRECTIONS:Beat the ricotta in a large bowl until smooth, dissolve the sugar with two or three tablespoons water and heat gently until it just begins…
Granita di Limone (Lemon Ice)
Granita di Limone (from Great Italian Desserts by Nick Malgieri)
2 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
Combine water and sugar in small nonreactive saucepan. Bring to boil,
stirring
occasionally to dissolve sugar. Cool syrup. Strain lemon juice into syrup
thru a very fine strainer, to eliminate puop and tiny seeds. Stir well to
combine.
Pour mixture into nonreactive gratin dish or roasting pan and place in
freezer. When mixture starts to freeze, stir it every 10 minutes,
scraping the granita…
Sanguinaccio
INGREDIENTS:
* 3 quarts pork blood
* 1-1/2 pounds raisins
* 1-1/4 pounds sugar
* 1 pound mixed nuts & chestnuts
* 3/4 pound rice--cooked
* 2 oranges with all rind
* 1 pound figs
* 1 teaspoon red pepper
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 2 tablespoons salt
* bay leaf
DIRECTIONS:
Mix all and bake in oven for one (1) hour.
COMMENTS:
This pudding was made when the hogs were slaughtered on the farm. Although…
FOLKLORISTIC NEWS AND TRADITIONAL FESTIVITIES :
in antiquity Abruzzo was famed for its witches , wizards and snake-charmers , members of a tribe called the Marsi. Even today snakes feature in a bizarre religious festival in the mountain village of Cocullo : on the first Thursday in May its inhabitants celebrate the feast of S. Domenico: a statue of the saint is draped with jewels and banknotes and festooned with live snakes . It’s borne in procession through the village accompanied by villagers also bedecked with wriggling reptiles (Processione dei Serpari ).
http://www.profesnet.it/provinciachieti/feste/index.html Festival Guide
The Demons…
CHIETI – MUSEO ARCHEOLOGICO LA CIVITELLA
*** 17 marzo – 17 maggio 2006
Una mostra intrigante su magia e fortuna racconta un Abruzzo terra di misteri e incantesimi. Un’archeologia “insolita” in uno dei musei più innovativi in Italia
del 03/04/2006
Angitia, figlia di Eeta, per prima scoprì le male erbe, così dicono, e maneggiava da padrona
i veleni e traeva giù la luna dal cielo; con le grida i fiumi tratteneva e, chiamandole,
spogliava i monti delle selve.
Silius, Punicae, libro VIII,…
Cult and Occult in Italian-American Culture The Persistence of a Religious Heritage
by Rudolph J. Vecoli
"Pagan! Heathen! Idolator!" These were among the epithets hurled at the Italian immigrants around the turn of the century. In addition to being viewed as potential mafiosi or anarchists, the sons of Italy had the further onus of being regarded as the bearers of anti-Christian beliefs and practices. The "Italian Problem" in its religious manifestation had been discovered by American churchmen, both Catholic and Protestant, well before 1900. In the following decades much energy, money, and ink were expended in efforts to find solutions to this "problem." What exactly was the…
Countering Malocchio
Anti-Malocchio Formula
From Nick - 30 Aug 1996:
Malocchje ngenzate
Tre Sande m'aiutate
Che poss' i nt' a l'occhje
A cchi 'e fatte u malocchje a (Afflicted's Name)
P.S. You must use this power only for good...never for evil!
Wards in Ancient Italy
From Jo Tedesco - 9 & 17 May 1996 (Reggio Calabria):
"In the Fountana Buona in Genova Province every home has at least one carved…
Malocchio & Jettatore
Malocchio
From Dominick A. Faust, 29 Dec 1995 (Reggio di Calabria & Siracusa):
I have a question about superstitions. I've watched the movie the "A Bronx Tale" several times. I have noticed that "C" the young character and "Sonny" the "Don" for lack of another descriptive word, exchanged a sign of friendship with a hand gesture. When I was young, my father had told me the same hand gesture was for wishing evil on someone. Or he called it "horns". !???!
From Margie Vaughan, 29 Dec…
Befana
From Steve Saviello - 8 Dec 1996:
La Befana
In a little village high atop a hill, in Via della Padella number 2 to be precise, an old lady, part fairy part witch, passes the entire year in company with her grotesque assistants (the Befanucci) preparing coal, making sweets and toys and darning old stockings and socks. These are all to be distributed to children on Rome's magical night of nights, between the 5th and 6th of January. This seems the longest night of all. Every child is in awe of 'La Befana'…
Madonne Nere In Italia (Black Madonnas in Italy)
Maria SS. del Carmine - Napoli
S. Maria del Monte - Viggiano
Madonna Nera di Sovereto – Terlizzi - (Bari)
Madonna Nera di Tindari – Messina
S. Maria Assunta – Positano (Salerno)
Madonna di Monte Tranquillo – Pescasseroli (L’Aquila)
Madonna del Sacro Monte - Varese
Maria Mater Gratiae SS. Vergine di Oropa - Biella
Nostra Signora di Loreto - Graglia (Biella)
Madonna Nera di Groscavallo - Santuario di Forno Alpi Graie (Torino)
Madonna Nera di Rivoli (Torino)
Madonna Nera di Sampeyre (Cuneo)
Madonna Nera di Trana (Torino)
Fatture d’ amore
Years ago I was sent a collection of fatture. I do not know their original source.
fattura d'amore
Nel primo quarto di Luna piena pungete il dito mignolo della mano destra, fate uscire tre gocce di sangue e impastatele con sette peli di cui quattro presi da entrambe le ascelle e tre dal pube. Mettete il tutto ad essiccare sulla piastra di un camino per poi ridurlo in polvere da mischiare nel vino o nel cibo della persona amata dicendo queste parola: "Sangue del diavolo attaccami a (nome) tanto lo devi…
The Differences Between Benedicaria, Stregoneria, and Stregheria.
By the Rev. Agostino Taumaturgo
Between the posts on sites like Mystic Wicks and the debunkings on Stregoneria Italiana[1], or the claims of "secret traditions" offered on any number of other websites, it's easy for the average person to get confused about the various terms that people throw around at one another, even if that person were raised in a solid family tradition. And so, it is the purpose of this article to help sort out the terms and their origins.
Stregheria:
Being the most recent and…
Patron Saints
In the Italian context, a patron saint is one that firstly man has inherited or adopted either through family, an occupation/trade/profession, or a geographical location, and then over time the saint has proven through their track record of intercession on man's behalf that they are indeed connecting. Only once the saint has proven themselves to be more than a 'one hit wonder' do Italians bestow upon them the honour of 'patrone'. ~Rue Roselli
Memoirs of my Apprenticeship
(This is the working title until I am inspired with something better. Names have been changed to protect people's privacy.)
I've begun to write my memoirs of how I became to be and where I learned my craft....
Signora Rosa had a son who was her light and her joy but she didn’t have any daughters. Whenever she witnessed my family mistreating me or, whenever my aunt spoke of her frustration with me, Signora Rosa would turn completely wild-eyed and would chastise my entire family for not appreciating me. I once heard her…
Rue’s Cannoli
These are remarkably just like the cannoli I used to buy at the Neapolitan bakery in my home town. The difference between these and the Cannoli Siciliani is that they contain chocolate chips instead of candied fruits.
I use cannoli shells purchased already made from my local Italian food importer and I make the filling myself from scratch using the following recipe:
Drain 1 kg of ricotta in the refrigerator overnight by placing it in a sieve over a bowl and covering…