Italian Folklore Rituals, Celebrations, and Ancient Traditions

by Miele, PhD, Gina M.

• ISBN13: 9781577159490
• ISBN10: 1577159497
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2026-09-29
• Publisher: Wellfleet Press
• More Book Details

Summary

Explore the rich and mystical world of Italian folk traditions, where saints walked with witches and magic was found in the smallest of items.

Did you grow up hearing stories of “the evil eye?” Or perhaps, you’ve always wondered why Italian culture lights candles for saints. In Italian Folklore, Dr. Gina Miele weaves scholarly expertise and cultural passion into a rich tapestry of storytelling, history, and ritual practice to explore folk traditions from the old world. This beautifully illustrated, comprehensive book, told through fictional stories of everyday Italians, examines and honors Italy’s mystical heritage, where saints, healers, and peasants kept spiritual traditions alive through daily acts and seasonal rites. 

In a world where identity can feel fractured, Italian Folklore offers authenticity—a way to reconnect with the spiritual and cultural traditions that once held communities together. Combining folktales, herbal wisdom, and a sprinkle of magical beliefs, this book covers a range of Italian cultural touchstones. Learn all about the mysteries of the old world, in the chapters of:

• What Is Italian Folk Tradition?
• The Land Where Saints Walk with Witches
• Threshold Keepers: Women as Guides Through Life’s Passages
• When Ancestors Return: Italy’s November Vigil
• Italy’s Ritual Year: Living Traditions Through the Seasons
• Saints Among Us: Voices from Italy’s History
• The Names of the Witch: Regional Voices of Power
• Mountain Mysteries: Witches of the Northern Peaks
• The Heart of Mystery: Central Italy’s Mystical Towns
• Where the Janare Dance: Magic in the Mezzogiorno
• L’Acqua Tofana: Poison, Power, and Survival
• IlMalocchio and the Arts of Protection
• I Giardini dei Semplici: Sacred Herbs
• The Healer’s Gift: Italy’s Folk Medicine
• Folk Altars: From Street Corners to Kitchen Tables

Whether you have Italian ancestry or are a fan of ancient folklore, Italian Folklore will help you find meaning in the traditions of generations past. With a custom map to show the locations of the Saints, divine figures, and important places in Italy, dive into this accessible and gorgeous guide and find folklore, legacy, healing, and belonging.

Author Biography

Dr. Gina M. Miele is an Italian-American scholar, professor, and cultural storyteller whose work brings the richness of old-world folklore to new generations. As a professor of Italian language and culture, she teaches students annually, helping them connect with Italy’s deep literary and spiritual traditions. Dr. Miele is former director of the Coccia Institute for the Italian Experience in America at MSU and received her PhD in Romance Languages and Literatures from Harvard University. She specializes in nineteenth and twentieth-century Italian folktales, particularly those of Luigi Capuana and Italo Calvino. She has published articles in Italica, Marvels and Tales, Fabula, and Italian Quarterly. She is a contributor to the Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales and Marvelous Transformations: An Anthology of Tales and Contemporary Critical Perspectives, as well as the co-author of the workbook that accompanies the textbook Parliamo Italiano. Her essays and book reviews on Italian American studies can be consulted in the Harvard College Journal of Italian American History and Culture, the Italian American Review, Altreitalie, the Paterson Literary Review, and Primo. With a strong international following, Dr. Miele stands at the intersection of scholarship and community. Italian Folklore carries that mission forward in the form of a deeply researched and accessible guide to Italian folklore and ritual.

Tony Rubino is a first generation Italian American and the author of multiple books, including Why Didn’t I Think Of That?: 101 Inventions That Changed the World By Hardly Trying, Life Lessons from Your Dog, 1001 Reasons to Procrastinate, and The High Points of Sobriety. He is also the creator of the internationally syndicated comic strip Daddy's Home, portraying relatable humor and everyday life of a stay-at-home dad. It has appeared in dozens of newspapers and websites since 2008.

Rubino is also an artist and creator of mixed media art pieces featured in museums and galleries in the USA, Italy, Scotland, France, and Greece, as well as in each guest room and common area of the Virgin Hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland. 

Find Tony's line of fashion, accessories, designs, comics, and books at Lord And Taylor, Bloomingdale's, Amazon, Etsy, Ebay, Society 6, Pixels, Fine Art America, Imagekind, Saatchi Art, Inzpero, Artmajeur, Artvita, Artspan, Artsy, TeePublic, Avanti, Zazzle, and Cafe Press.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Returning to the Old Ways

1 What Is Italian Folk Tradition?
2 The Land Where Saints Walk with Witches
3 Threshold Keepers: Women as Guides Through Life's Passages
4 When Ancestors Return: Italy's November Vigil
5 Italy's Ritual Year: Living Traditions Through the Seasons
6 Saints Among Us: Voices from Italy's History
7 The Names of the Witch: Regional Voices of Power
8 Mountain Mysteries: Witches of the Northern Peaks
9 The Heart of Mystery: Central Italy's Mystical Towns
10 Where the Janare Dance: Magic in the Mezzogiorno
11 L'Acqua Tofana: Poison, Power, and Survival
12 Il Malocchio and the Arts of Protection
13 I Giardini dei Semplici: Sacred Herbs
14 The Healer's Gift: Italy's Folk Medicine
15 Folk Altars: From Street Corners to Kitchen Tables

Conclusion: The Spirit That Endures
Map of Italy
A Regional Guide to Italy's Supernatural Beings
Endnotes
Sources
Index
Acknowledgments
About the Author