Find Private Teaching Jobs on TakeLessons. Moving into a first home was accompanied by the necessary rituals to rid the place of any spirits that may have ben left by the previous owners and could harm the new couple or their first child. According to Italian superstitions, holding a wedding on Friday brings bad luck. Whoever opened an umbrella in the house did not pay respect to the Sun God and so would risk bringing misfortune to their family. Tuesday and Friday are, in Italian superstition, two days that should be avoided for celebrating marriages. Mano means "hand" and corno means "horn. Same for the birthday celebrations: very rarely do people in Italy organize their birthday party in advance unless its the night before, which means youll wait until midnight to get together with your friends! When making a toast in Italy, its considered unlucky to do it with water. A loaf of bread must always be placed face up, or else bad luck will come. Top 10 Italian superstitions - Wanted in Rome The Intrepid Guide contains affiliate links. Not sure good luck has come to him but it was indeed funny! The priest would remove his hat as well as set it on the bed to make sure that he might place on the vestments. A similar superstition is spilling salt on the table. Another Italian superstitions has to do with sweeps and feet: a girl aiming at finding a husband needs to be far from anyone who is sweeping the floor. On the other hand, its considered a good fortune if you happen to hear a cat sneeze. The Surprising Origins of 9 Common Superstitions | Live Science Want my "9 Steps to Reach Fluency Faster" playbook? Another thing to avoid is having thirteen people sitting at a table! When composed making use of Arabic numerals, 17 is still considered unfortunate because it appears like a guy hanging from a gallows. At the Last Dinner Jesus ate with his 12 adherents before, among them, Judas Iscariot betrayed him. Its believed that black cats are a symbol of witchcraft and the devil. The best part is that you have lifetime access so you learn anytime, anywhere and on any device. See how our customers love this feature here. Flowery wishes: Italian brides have always walked down the aisle with a bouquet of flowers. In Latin, VIXI means 'I have lived', implying death. guaranteed, The evil eye or malocchio is known all across the Mediterranean and to many cultures around the world - it is a belief that dates back hundreds of years, since the ancient times. According to Italian traditions, however, taking a bath when youre sick will only make you sicker aswill going outside with wet hair. Your email address will not be published. Dropping a mirror and breaking it, no matter how tiny it is, is said to bring you seven years of bad luck. 15 Italian Superstitions You Need to Know | Our Italian Journey Cin cin! or (alla) salute!, is what you say in Italian when making a toast. As a native English speaker who learned Italian as an adult, I know what its like to feel hopeless and lack the confidence to speak. It is relatively long in length and extremely complexthe curser names himself: Apellius. A wedding is a critical piece of that culture. In fact, its actually a lucky number. Home General Info 15 Italian Superstitions You Need to Know. The granddaughter of an etiquette teacher who educated young woman before she got married in the 1950s, Giorgia . These are not traditions. 5) The number 17. Its a tradition that helps form a solid foundation from which families and societies emerge. In the present day, however, umbrellas were often used to plug holes in the houses of poor people, hence the belief that opening them will bring a good deal of financial misfortune. A sure sign of knowing whether or not you have the curse is to drop olive oil in a bowl of water. A loaf of bread has to constantly be positioned face-up, or else rotten luck will come. The number 17 is thought about unlucky. It would be bad luck, therefore, to lay the bread upside-down on a table or counter. Meeting and Greeting. The Devils Horn is a piece of jewelry that men wear to ward off The Evil Eye. So, when youre garnishing your plate of salad, be extra careful! Italian men, knowing what must be protected at all costs, may tap their testicles, known as tocca palle. 'Vanishing like glaciers': plunging birthrate threatens Italian schools This is an Italian hand gesture (or an amulet imitative of the gesture) to ward off the evil eye. The number 13 is additionally connected with the Goddess of Fertility as well as the lunar cycles. In the UK, Australia, or the US, after saying something that might attract bad luck, you would typically say Touch wood!. Do not put a hat on a bed. In modern times it seems the Friday 13 is starting to lose its charm in Italy, as with the rest of the world. Here are some seasonal traditions, beliefs and superstitions from across the country, ranging from the most common, such as eating lentils and wearing red, to rather unusual ones. Common traditional Italian cuisines include but are not limited to Bruschetta, Hot Berry Tarts, Chicken dish, and Ravioli. Quick Navigation. As tradition states, the more lentils you eat, the more wealthy you will become! Some believed that bread in fishing boats meant that the whole community would be cursed with no food for long periods of time. What are they? Italians intend to avoid a comparable switching of the tables. Just as with the story of numbers that bring bad luck (17 in Italy vs. 13 in other countries), Italians also like to differentiate themselves with regard to another kind of superstition! Chart and table of the Italy fertility rate from 1950 to 2023. If you spill white wine at the table, wet your fingers and swab some behind everyones ear.