Benedicaria, Folk Magic of Southern Italy. a combination of Roman Catholic tradition and ancient southern Italian Folk Magic. Novenas to the Saints, healing, how to remove the evil eye,How to remove a ghost from the house, how Saint Anthony will help you find your ideal mate, and every day blessings of the Sicilian and Southern Italian peasantry. 189 pages.
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By Grace Fahrun
Jan 29, 2012
As far as I am concerned, Vito Quattrocchi's Magical Catholicism is still the authority on this subject. Even after all these years, no other book has been written that compares. What I love best about Vito's work is that it is truly from a Sicilian-American point of view. You have to be Sicilian-American, or at least Southern Italian-American to truly appreciate the flavor of this book. However, you don't have be either to find wisdom in it. It marries Old World and New World Folk Catholicism and magic. Whether you are wanting to re-capture your magico-spiritual roots or just becoming acquainted with them, this is a great book.
"A 5 star ratingAAAAA" You say it all there my friend. (Kyledefranco) I have read it and am now in the middle of “Sins of thy Fathers” Both are keeping me at the edge of my seat. After reading your comment of the book I could not say it better as in what also I feel. LuLu is extremely lucky to have gotten a writer like this and I salute Vito for his work. An above average writer in all aspects of literature. Thank You Vito for your work. And To I have Put now 3 books of Vito Quattrocchi in my most valued collections next to my Mario Puzo’s A great combination of great authors. ~~Vance Porello~
"A great book!" Saying that Vito Quattrocchi's Sicilian Benedicaria - Magical Catholicism is a one-in-a-million work is no exaggeration. Those of us who are interested in traditional Italian folk Catholicism, folk magic or alternative forms of Italian spirituality have very few reliable resources at our disposal in the English language. A book of such caliber as Quattrocchi's comes along perhaps once in a decade. Benedicaria, as the name indicates, is the practice of giving benedictions or blessings. This practice is still very alive and well in southern Italy and Italian communities around the world. Therefore, the collection of prayers, cleansings, rituals and exorcisms presented in Quattrocchi's book is not a reconstruction of magical or religious practices long gone, but rather a look at something very precious to Italians, something almost completely unknown to others. Eggs, Saint Michael, the Rosary, the Saint's Altar, removing the Malocchio, and of course, the Novena... More > are all found in Sicilian Benedicaria. What you will not find, and what has yet to be seriously recorded in English, is an examination of fatture - malevolent spells just as common as benedictions but not as palatable to most modern readers. In all, Vito Quattrocchi's Sicilian Benedicaria - Magical Catholicism is a very useful collection of even more useful folk Catholicism practices. So useful that I've placed it right next to my Giuseppe Pitrè collection.< Less
