The name of the month maggio (May) comes from the Roman goddess Maia, mother of the god Mercury.

Principali Festività (Main Festivals):

On the 1st of May we celebrate la Festa del Lavoro or Giornata Internazionale dei Lavoratori (International Workers’ Day). This year il Primo Maggio (the First of May) falls on a Sunday and so we loose one day holiday! The patron saint of this day is, of course, San Giuseppe lavoratore! (Saint Joseph the worker!)

On the second Sunday in May, which this year is the 8th, we celebrate la festa della Mamma (mother’s Day).

The 9th of May is dedicated to the commemoration of the victims of terrorism, of which, unfortunately here in Italy, there are many. Throughout the Seventies and Eighties, in fact, we were terrorized by both ‘black’ or ‘Fascist’ terrorism and ‘red’ or ‘Communist’ terrorism, the most famous group of all being Le Brigate Rosse. 

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Tradizioni (Traditions):

May is traditionally dedicated to la Madonna, and to celebrate the Virgin Mary Catholics should recite il rosario (the rosary) everyday. This consists of a series of fifty prayers called Ave Maria (Hail Mary) divided into five groups of ten. At the end of each group there are other prayers and short readings from the Gospel. To help keep a track of the number of prayers recited dedicated Catholics count the beads that form la corona del rosario (the rosary crown) or, more simply, il rosario. This ritual is colloquially called ‘fare il mese di maggio’ (lit. to do the month of May) meaning to take part in the daily recitation of the rosario.

Roses are considered sacred to la Madonna, as they blossom in this month, and for this reason maggio is called ‘il mese delle rose e delle spose’ (the month of the roses and of the brides).

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Detti (Sayings):

Maggio soleggiato, frutta a buon mercato (Sunny May, cheap fruit)

Di maggio, ciliegie per assaggio (in May, cherries to taste)

Maggio caldo ti arricchisce, freddo ti impoverisce (a warm May makes you rich, a cold one makes you poor)

Una piovuta a maggio, se è sola che vantaggio (a rain in May, if it’s the only one what a profit)

Maggio ortolano, molta paglia e poco grano (if May is too wet, lot of straw and not much grain)

Di maggio s’innamorano anche le civette (in May even the owls fall in love)

L’inverno a metà maggio riprende breve ingaggio (in mid May winter briefly takes up the fight again)

Per S.Ubaldo guardati dal freddo e non dal caldo (For Saint Ubaldo, 16th of May, be aware of the cold and not of the heat)

Per Santa Rita, ogni rosa è fiorita (for Saint Rita, 22nd of May, every rose is blossoming)

Se piove per San Filippo, il povero non ha bisogno del ricco (if it rains for Saint Philip, 26th of May, the poor won’t need the rich)

Quello che fa maggio, fa settembre (what May does, September will do)