Notes

Italy Notes

The Roman Empire introduced new ideas from far reaches, while extending their own ideas to other parts of Europe and the Mediterranean. This empire unified the people and culture in many ways as clothing, foods, religion, and language were all shared. While the tunic is no longer popular, the Latin language evolved into the modern Italian language and the empire's later adoption of Christianity changed the culture to a vast degree, a religion that is still popular today.
Despite the fall of the Roman Empire, the Italian Peninsula remained tied to and influenced by much of Europe. The culture of the region spread to Europe, particularly in the form of religion, while aspects of Europe made their way to the Italian Peninsula. However, sub-cultures emerged and the people grew apart in many ways as local cities trumped the region in importance to many people as family and community remained at the center of the culture.

-safaritheglobe.com/italy/


Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Puccini, Fellini—the list of Italy’s contributions to world art, culture and history is never ending. Since ancient times, Italy has been at the forefront of many movements that have shaped and defined the world as we know it today.

The capital of Italy is Rome, one of the world’s oldest and most important cities. The ancient Roman empire laid the foundations of Western civilization and Rome is also the seat of Roman Catholicism and home to Vatican City.

-www.studycountry.com/guide/IT-intro.htm



Religious Beliefs. Ninety percent of the population is Roman Catholic. The other 2 percent is mainly comprised of Jews, along with some Muslims and Orthodox and Eastern Rite Catholics. The general supernatural beliefs are those of the Catholic Church as mixed with some older beliefs stretching back to antiquity. In Sicily, for example, Arabic and Greek influences have mixed with popular Spanish beliefs and been incorporated into Catholicism.

Thus, there are beliefs in the evil eye, charms, spells, messages through dreams, and various other types of omens. Witches have powers and there are anti–witches. Many of these beliefs, of course, have yielded to the rationalism of the modern age. Others, however, exist below the surface.
Religious Practitioners. Rome, or more precisely Vatican City, is the center of the Roman Catholic religion. Thus, the Pope, cardinals, bishops, monsignors, priests, members of various male and female religious orders, and others are omnipresent. The seven sacraments form a framework for religious life. Churches are plentiful and also attract the tourist dollar. There are more folk–like practitioners who carry on "magic" or "superstitious" practices—various healers who may have the gift of hands, witches, purveyors of charms and spells, and many others.

Rituals and Holy Places. Italy is filled with over 2000 years' worth of holy places. Rome and the Vatican City alone have thousands of shrines, relics, and churches. There are relics of Saint Peter and other popes. Various relics of many saints, places holy to Saint Francis of Assisi, shrines, places where the Virgin Mary is reputed to have appeared, and sites of numerous miracles are found across the country. Similarly, religious ceremonies are frequent. There are the usual holy days of the Roman Catholic Church—Christmas, Easter, Pentecost, the Immaculate Conception and others. In addition, there are local saints and appearances by the Pope. The sanctification of new saints, various blessings, personal, family, and regional feast days and daily and weekly masses add to the mix. There are also various novenas, rosary rituals, sodalities, men's and women's clubs, and other religious or quasi–religious activities.

Death and the Afterlife. Italians generally believe in a life after death in which the good are rewarded and the evil punished. There is a belief in a place where sins are purged, purgatory. Heaven and hell are realities for most Italians. The deceased are to be remembered and are often spoken to quietly. Funerals today take place in funeral parlors. Respect for the dead is expected. Failure to attend a wake for a family member or friend is cause for a breach of relationship unless there is a patently valid reason.


-www.everyculture.com/Ge-It/Italy.html