Stregoneria

Stregoneria is an umbrella term for the Folk Magic practices of Italy. The word Stregoneria itself is simply Italian for witchcraft. The use of the word Stregoneria to describe Italian Folk Magic is common mostly among Italian-American practitioners. Practitioners of Folk Magic traditionally would usually be called something along the lines of fixers, healers, or those who help, but to be called a witch would be a direct insult. Virtually all practitioners would have considered themselves Roman Catholic and witches in Italian folklore and Roman Catholicism are traditionally connected to the devil.

Practices of Stregoneria include making Brevi, or charm bags, and healing the Malocchio Although Stregoneria does indeed make use of a variety of Catholic practices, due to the use of magic Stregoneria, unlike Benedicaria, tends to be more at odds with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Stregoneria and Benedicaria

Benedicaria is Italian Folk Catholicism that, in its purest form, is completely in line with the teachings of the Catholic Church. Stregoneria and Benedicaria often overlap, specifically in the intercession of the Saints, Catholic prayers, and the use of Catholic Sacramentals. Many practitioners of both Benedicaria and Stregoneria typically make use of each other’s practices to the point where it’s almost impossible to see where one ends and the other begins.

Stregoneria and Stregheria

Stregheria is form of Italian Neo-Paganism that makes use of much of the magical practices of Stregoneria, but lacks the more traditional Catholic based worldview in place of a Neo-Pagan outlook on magic and the world.

See Also

• Benedicaria
• Cornicello
• Folk Christianity
• Folk Medicine
• Malocchio
• Italian Cunning Folk