Laverna: an ancient Italic goddess, queen of the underworld. It was a custom to pour libations to her using the left hand.
Lavinium: An ancient town of Bruttium, near the modern town of Scalea (CS). Because it was situated in the valley of the Laus river, it is believed that its name is name is derived from that waterway.
lazzaroni (sing. lazzarone) A derogatory term used for the lowest social and economic classes of Naples during the Spanish and Bourbon eras. These included street peddlers, porters, boatmen, beggers, and the masses of homeless. The term derives from lazzaro, an Italian word for “leper”, and seems to refer to the begger Lazarus mentioned in the parable of Christ. During medieval times lepers were required to wear short drawers and a hooded shirt. The costume was retained until the modern era by the lazzaroni. At the end of the 18th Century, when the lazzaroni formed an important and violent faction of supporters for the Bourbons, it was estimated that they numbered around 40,000.
left-handedness: The belief that left-handedness was considered evil or immoral is a survival from Roman times. Typically it was considered bad-luck to enter a building using the left foot first and left-handed people were viewed with suspicion. The Latin term for “left” (= sinister) has been borrowed by the English language as a negative word.
Lecce, Province of: A province of Puglia.
Lecce, Metropolitan Archdiocese of: A Metropolitan archdiocese in the ecclesiastical region of Puglia.
Suffragans: Brindisi–Ostuni, Nardò–Gallipoli, Otranto, Ugento–Santa Maria di Leuca.
Diocese of Lecce established in 1057.
Promoted to a Metropolitan Archdiocese on Oct. 20, 1980.
Lent Traditions: In the Abruzzo region, it is a tradition to cut a paper figure of an old woman with 7 feet. The figure is meant to represent Lent, and is hung on the chimney on Ash Wednesday, 7 weeks before Easter. As each week passed, a member of the family, usually a child, cuts off one of the figure’s feet.
A long-held Lenten tradition consists of a cord being stretched on Ash Wednesday from one window to another, at the center of which is hug a figure made of rope and rags. The figure is decorated with 7 features and holds a spindle and distaff in its hands. Elsewhere on the same cord are hung a herring, garlic, an onion, a bit of charcoal (or dried cod-fish). All of these are symbolic of the traditional Lenten meal. As this decoration is being created and hung, the makers repeat a rhyme:
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Quarésema puverella. Va dicendo pe’ la terra: Chi me da’ ‘na fuglitélla? E noglie, noglie? Chi mi da’ dù far’ ammoglie? Chi mi da’ la stuppetélla Pe’ fa’ fila’ quarésema puverella?” |
Poor old Lent Goes wandering o’er the earth, a-crying: Who will give me a drop of wine? Who, but who? Who will give me wherewithal to wed? Who will give a strand of hemo For poor old Lent to spin? |
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Source: Antiquary Magazine vol.36. Jan-Dec. 1900 p.200 |
Every Sunday one of the feathers is removed from the central figure, and on Holy Saturday, as the churchbells ring, the figures are ritualistically burned as everyone rejoices.
An old tradition is found in the town of Roccacaramanico, in the province of Pescara. On Good Friday, 24 young men of the town are chosen to represent ancient Roman centurions. Half of the group dresses in red tunics, and the rest in green. They all carry lances and wear helmets. In a double line, and with great solemnity, the “soldiers” slowly march through the town to the parish church. On the lowest step of the church’s altar is placed the figure of Christ, having been earlier taken down from the cross and laid on cushions. The red tuniced “Romans” then enter the church, march around the nave, and then take up positions as sentinels around the figure of Christ. The green-tuniced detachment remains outside of the church as though standing guard. After an hour the two detachments switch places. This is repeated for the remainder of the day and throughout the night until dawn of Holy Saturday. It is believed that this is a survival of sacred play which originated in medieval times.