their lwa; St. Peter, for instance, was Legba. In this manner, they were able to practice their faith and please the enslaver at the same time. Italy In Italy, the spread of popular Catholicism is due to three main factors: the regional sense of belonging to the Catholic Church, which has its headquarters in Italy; diffuse traditional forms of devotion towards Jesus, Madonnas, angels, saints and patrons that are present in every Italian region and linked to sanctuaries, symbols, relics and religious holidays; the charitable and cultural activities of local Catholic aggregations. Events that contributed to the formation of popular Italian Catholicism include the Counter-Reformation, the Council of Trent, and then the social and civil commitment of the Catholic movement between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Among the most popular saints and patrons in Italy are San Pio (Padre Pio), Saint Anthony of Padua, Saint Francis of Assisi (San Francesco), Santa Rita of Cascia, St. Joseph, St. Michael, Mother Teresa, Saint Clare of Assisi, Saint Rosalia, Januarius, St. Agatha, St. Ambrose, and St. Catherine of Siena. Simon of Trent is also amongst popular figures of italian folk catholicism. To the Italian peasantry, the presence of the sacred was associated with rites of traditional magic called benedicaria. This form of magic was practiced by the (, 'witches'), combining knowledge of herbs, formulas and spells with the sacraments and prayers of the Catholic Church. Philippines In the Philippines, among the most relevant celebration of popular Catholicism is the novena Christmas known as Simbang Gabi, which arose within the farming community and consists of a nine-day devotional gesture of masses in preparation for Christmas. On the last day of Simbang Gabi, which coincides with Christmas Eve, the most important service is held, called in Spanish Misa de Gallo ("Mass of the Rooster"). This is an ancient tradition celebrated since 1669, brought to the Philippines by Spanish missionaries: originally, the nine masses were held very early in the morning, because most of the country's inhabitants were farmers who had to go to work before dawn, to avoid being in the fields during the hottest hours of the day. While evening novenas were more common in the rest of the Hispanic world, this Christmas custom eventually became a distinctive feature of Philippine culture and a symbol of shared participation of popular faith. See also Folk Orthodoxy Popular piety References Footnotes Bibliography External links