Just like most of the different cultures all over the world, many Italians also believe in higher power and superstitions. One of the most well-known superstitions around Turkey and Italy is the Malocchio, which translates to the Evil Eye. Although the Turks and the Italians interpret it quite differently, both despise the words of the “Evil Eye”. Indeed, no matter where you are, the Evil Eye remains a sign of unluckiness from someone or something. It is believed that the latter can cause injuries or bad luck to its victim. Pretty scary, isn’t it? That said, were you looking for more info about the Malocchio curse? That’s perfect then because we got everything you need in the following article. Let’s begin!

What is the Malocchio curse or the Italian Evil Eye?

The origin of the evil eye goes back at least 5000 years ago in the region of Sumer in Mesopotamia. From there, it made its way in Babylon and the Persian Gulf (1400 BC) and then spread even as far as in Egyptian culture of the 20th dynasty in 1200 BC. The story of the Evil Eye has also appeared in the Bible. As you may already have guessed, The Evil Eye is a curse that one individual can give to another person if they are resentful or jealous.

According to old Italian folk tales, those giving Malocchio can cause injuries or misfortune to the others through magic or supernatural powers. Moreover, an Italian old wife’s tale claims that the horrible curse can cause physical pain like stomach aches, headaches, or even cause misery in life.

Are there any ways to break the Malocchio curse?

What can you do to break this curse you may ask? There are a few stories going around, claiming that the curse can be broken by Salt, Wax, or Olive Oil. Let’s see together how it works:

The Salt:

The salt method is often used by Sicilians. One must scatter salt at the front door of their house or around their home. The fact that the salt grains are innumerable will confuse the evil spirits and therefore, help you break the curse.

The Wax:

To use the wax method, one must drip candle wax in sacred water. It’s important to observe how the wax reacts when it hits the water. If it splatters, it means you may have caught the Evil Eye. In that case, well done! The curse is now broken.

The Olive Oil:

It is possible to identify someone cursed with the evil eye by using Olive Oil. To do so, simply use 3 drops of olive oil in a bowl filled with water. If the oil turns into eye shape, then it means that the person has indeed received the Malocchio curse. Nevertheless, the power of olive oil doesn’t stop there.

You can indeed break the curse with olive oil as well, by doing the sign of the cross and say: “In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” Right after that, draw the sign of the cross on both of your hands. As you do this, put your hands on the victim and say aloud: “Father this prayer is being said for (the name of the person) and I pray it works in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.”

From the old legend, it is said that you must repeat this praise 3 times. After which, both parties must say one Our Father, one Hail Mary, and one “Glory Be To the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as it was, in the beginning, is now and forever shall be.” They also mentioned that this part of this curse-breaking ritual can also be done by holding hands.

How to prevent the Malocchio curse?

To conclude, there are solutions for breaking the curse, but what if you wanted to actually prevent it from ever happening to you? Here are a few things you can do in order to protect yourself from this curse:

Prayers:

To avoid and shield themselves from Malocchio, Italians use ornaments, protective gestures, and prayers. For instance, when someone is bragging, he can use the Italian expression “facendo corna” with the hand creating a pair of horns. Horns are a very powerful symbol to avoid il Malocchio and bad luck in general. Italians would make this gesture when they see haters that they consider particularly jealous, and that could potentially bring bad luck to them.

Another gesture is touching something made of iron, and for men, touching the genitals would do too. But keep in mind that these gestures are considered expressly unclassy. Finally, it is known that payers effectively work best on Christmas Eve. That said, it’ll still work during any time of the year!

Horn Charm:

Because of the curse and its origin, many Italians wear a Malocchio charm, also commonly named an Evil Eye Horn which resembles a chili pepper. These charms are generally made of gold, silver, or coral, and they can be worn as a necklace or put in one’s home to guard off evil spirits.

The moon goddess or the horned animal were considered sacred back in the old traditional European days. Evil Eye horns are culturally popular ornaments and are essentially found in Italy and North America among the ancestors of Italian immigrants. For that reason, the Corno has become a badge of Italian pride.