17: Some Italians are superstitious about Friday the 17th because rearranging the Roman numeral XVII can create the word "VIXI"—translated from Latin to mean "my life is over."
In Italy, 17 is considered an unlucky number. One anagram of the Roman numeral XVII is VIXI, which in Latin translates as "I have lived", with the implication "My life is over" or "I'm dead". Some Alitalia planes have no row 17, some Italian hotels have no room 17.
While many countries avoid the number 13, Italians are more fearful of the number 17. This fear stems from the fact that the number 17's Roman numeral, XVII, is an anagram of VIXI, which means “I have lived” in Latin.
In Italian culture, the unlucky number is 17. This makes Friday the 17th particularly unlucky according to local folklore. Why exactly? Because it brings together two unlucky elements: Friday and 17. Friday, because it is the day remembered for the death of Jesus in the Catholic tradition, which was Venerdì Santo.
In Italian culture, the number 17 is considered unlucky. When viewed as the Roman numeral, XVII, it is then changed anagrammatically to VIXI, which in the Latin language translates to "I lived", the perfect implying "My life is over." (c.f. "Vixerunt", Cicero's famous announcement of an execution.)
The number 13 is considered lucky in Italy. Associated with the Great Goddess, fertility and the lunar cycles, the number is thought to bring prosperity and life — quite the opposite view than that of the western world.
The belief that the number 17 is unlucky in Italy probably dates backs to ancient Roman times. In Roman numerals, 17 is XVII. One anagram for XVII is VIXI. In Latin, vixi means “I have lived,” the implication being that now I am dead.
– Italian Art Society. The Roman god Saturn's feast began being celebrated in Rome on 17 December 497 BCE. The seven-day celebration in December called the Saturnalia has come to be associated with any revel-based celebration marked by licentiousness and the temporarily allowed breaking of taboos.
January 17 – Saint Anthony's Day (Festa di San Antonio Abate) The Feast Day of Saint Anthony Abbott celebrates the patron saint of butchers, domestic animals, basketmakers, and gravediggers.
17 March was proclaimed a national holiday in 1911, the 50th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy, in 1961, the 100th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy, and in 2011, the 150th Anniversary of the Unification of Italy. With the law no.
This law amendment was put in place to prevent teams attempting to minimise the damage done by the red card by bringing on a faster player – perhaps a back-rower – to stand in uncontested scrums against opponents who still have three 'proper' front rowers on the field.
Many Italian New Year practices are aimed at bringing good luck and wealth in the coming year. For instance, both men and women wear undergarments of red, a color long thought to symbolize fertility and fortune.
Italy is the world's 8th largest economy and has a population of just under 60 million. In 2022, the southern European country registered just 393,000 babies, according to the Italian National Institute of Statistics (ISTAT), the lowest since records began in 1861.
Solution: 17 in Roman Numerals is XVII.
What is this? The particular number 17 symbolizes a need for spiritual healing or a deeper understanding of who you really are. It is time to let go of the past and all things that have been holding you back. If your angel is trying to send an urgent message, you might see the mirror hour on your phone.
Yet, for most of the last 14 months of the war, the Germans deployed more divisions in Italy than the Allies. This was despite the fact that the Allies were the attacking force. German casualties for the Italian campaign were around 336,000, while those of the Allies totalled 313,000.
The worldwide depression of the early 1930s hit Italy very hard starting in 1931. As industries came close to failure they were bought out by the banks in a largely illusionary bail-out—the assets used to fund the purchases were largely worthless.
Say buon compleanno amico (for a male) and buon compleanno amica (for a female). Can I say felice compleanno to wish someone a happy birthday in Italian? Although literally 'Happy Birthday,' felice compleanno is not used in Italy. Instead, we prefer to say auguri or buon compleanno.
Italian children call Santa Claus 'Babbo Natale'. He is becoming more popular in Italy for gift giving on Christmas Day but La Befana, the old woman who delivers gifts on Epiphany on 6th January, is still more common.
Christmas in Italy, or Natale in Italian, kicks off its festivities on December 8 with the feast of the Immaculate Conception when Italians traditionally put up the Christmas tree. The celebrations also typically end on January 6 of the following year with the Epiphany, which is also referred to as Three Kings' Day.
The Vigil - or La Vigilia - is held on Christmas Eve. This important Italian event sees families come together to share a feast. Some families will exchange gifts on La Vigilia, although these presents are generally only for the children, whose role on Christmas Eve is to recite poems for the guests.
Bestemmiare ("swearing") is a misdemeanor in Italian law, but the law is seldom enforced. However, it is still considered a strong social taboo, at least on television.
Emergency numbers in Italy
If you find yourself in serious difficulty and need help, the single number to call for emergencies in Italy is 112.