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Religion
Religion is a very important part of daily
Italian life, with 84% of the population
being Roman Catholic (intersites.co.uk).
Rome is home to the Vatican, people and
towns celebrate patron saints' days, and
there are hundreds of churches and religious
shrines to be seen everywhere (especially in
the South).
 San
Gennaro
is the patron
saint of Naples. He was a Bishop from
Benevento (Campania, near Naples), and was
beheaded in 305AD. His relics are kept in
the Duomo of San Gennaro in Naples,
including 2 vials of dried blood. Three
times per year, thousands of Neapolitans and
tourists from all over Italy and the world
flock to the Duomo to witness a miracle: the
liquification of his blood, which was first
recorded in 1389. It is believed that if the
blood does not liquify, Naples is no
longer protected by San Gennaro, and they
will suffer the consequences: for example
disasters such as earthquakes or plagues.
Famously, in 1980, the blood did not liquify,
and Naples suffered a devastating eathquake
from Vesuvious. In the early mornings of 19
September, (the main date), the 16 December
and first Sunday in May, a novena of prayers
are said in the Duomo (9 consecutive
prayers), and San Gennaro's shrine, which
contains the vials,
is placed on the altar for
all to see and visit during the day with
their prayers. (see left photo). Many people
visit to pray for liquification. Later that
day, the
 crowds
gather outside the Duomo, with many people
praying and singing, awaiting the miracle.
When the blood liquifies, (photo right), a
21 canon salute fills the air of Naples,
along with the cheers and cries from the
crowd. There is then a procession with
the shrine of San Gennaro, which moves
through the city followed by crowds of
people. learn
more about this phenomenon....
It ends at the Cathedral of Naples,
where the shrine is placed until that
night. The Feast of San Gennaro is also
celebrated in America, and there is a huge
street party celebration in Little Italy's
Mulberry Street in New York that lasts for
11 days, with many food stalls, music,
street decorations and parades.
see
photos....
more
photos...
Pizzette di San Gennaro
- traditional recipe for small pizzas, for
the saint's day.
Padre Pio
was a humble capuchin preist. He was born in
1887 Benevento in Campania (near Naples) and
died in 1967 in San Giovanni Rotondo. He was
regarded as a prophet who could miraculously
cure people, and read souls. He is most
famously know for the phenomenon of
stigmata, which
appeared one day whilst he was praying
before a crucifix. The stigmata remained on
his body fresh and bleeding for 50 years.
During his lifetime he also founded prayer
groups, and a modern hospital called 'The
Home for the Relief of Suffering'.
Padre Pio
Official website
TeleradioPadrePio
- for
live webcams, radio services with prayers
and info.
The
Vatican
The Vatican City State is the world's
smallest independant national state. The
Head of this state is The Pope. (see article
below).
learn more
from Wikipedia...
Vatican official website
Description of the Palace;
Description of the Gardens History of the
Vatican Palace
Vatican
Museums
Vatican Radio
Vatican
Library
'Inside the
Vatican' monthly magazine
Religious shrines
can be seen around
Italy, especially in the South of Italy,
where there appears to be at least one on
every street! There are also some to be
found in courtyards, parks, by motorways,
and in the countryside, and if you go to
somewhere like Naples, you will find
hundreds embedded in the street walls,
especially in the old city centre. They are
looked after and maintained, and usually
consist of at least one religious figure
(often a figurine of the Virgin Mary), some
candles, prayers and flowers.
Onomastico
An 'onomastico' is a 'name day' and
as important as a birthday. In Italy,
(especially the South),children are often
named after saints. It
could be after the saint on whose feast day
they were born, or after the
patron saint
of the town they live in, or maybe just a
saint that the parents feel a connection
with. For example, in Naples, you will find
many boys named 'Gennaro', as San gennaro is
the patron saint of Naples.
Towns and cities also
have an 'onomastico'. In Milan, December
7th, they celebrate their patron saint Saint
Ambrose and in Rome they celebrate St.Peter.
learn more...
To
find out when your onomastico is and learn
about patron saints, click on following
link:
What
is a patron saint? and a list of saint and
angels
Interesting links
Rosaries
The word Rosary means "Crown of
Roses". Our Lady has revealed to several
people that each time they say a Hail Mary
they are giving her a beautiful rose and
that each complete Rosary makes her a crown
of roses. The rose is the queen of flowers,
and so the Rosary is the rose of all
devotions and it is therefore the most
important one.
learn
more in this lovely site all about
rosaries..
Italian Witchcraft is
called stregheria, of which there
are different traditions : Janarra, Tanarra,
Fanarra, Silvanic, Benandanti, Luperci,
Cavellini, Italian Fairy, Sicilian Fairy. learn
more with Fabrisia’a
Boschetto witchcraft.
visit also
stregheria.com
The Ancient Romans
believed in many gods and goddesses. Stories
and myths were told about the gods and
goddesses. According to the Romans, each and
every god and goddess had a certain thing or
group of people to watch over. Here is a
list of only a few of the many gods and
goddesses the Ancient Romans believed in.
learn
more....
Italo-Greek
Orthodox Church
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