International Prayer Focus
ITALY
Learning About the Italian Culture
In preparation for sharing God’s grace by praying for the country of Italy
(officially called the Italian Republic), it is important that you become familiar
with the Italian culture. By answering the questions in this section of your Study
Guide, you will become more aware of the contributions of Italian culture to our
American heritage, and have a deeper appreciation for those whom we will be
lifting up in prayer when you come to Washington, D.C.
Some questions can be answered by reviewing the information included in
this Study Guide, while others will need to be researched on the internet or at your
local library. A very good resource is the Italian Embassy website:
http://www.ambwashingtondc.esteri.it/Ambasciata_Washington. ( Check out the
information under “Italy 4 Kids.”)
Part A - Geography
Take a close look at the maps on the next page for the answers to the following
questions.
1. What countries touch the land borders of Italy?
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2. What bodies of water touch the borders of Italy?
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3. What islands are included in the country of Italy?
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6. If you had to fly directly from Washington, D.C. to Rome, the capital city of
Italy, how many hours flying time would it take? If you left Washington, D.C. at
8:00 am, when would you arrive in Rome, Italy, and what time would it be in Rome?
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7. How much of Italy’s land is covered with mountainous regions, and how much
of it is considered “plains?” ____________________________________________
8. What are some of the exports for which Italy is noted? ____________________
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Italian Republic
“Italy”
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Part B - Government
Find the answers to the following questions about Italy’s government:
1. Italy became “unitary parliamentary republic” on June 2, 1946, after which war ?
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2. The current President of the Italian Republic is
Geiorgio Napolitano (pictured on the right).
A. Is the President of the Italian Republic elected or
appointed? ___________________________________
B. By whom: ____________________________________
C. How long may the president hold office?
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D. What is the minimum age a president can be to hold office? ______________
3. The Parliament has two “houses.” What are they called? Which one has the most
power?
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4. Who holds the title of the “Head of Government,” and who appoints her/him?
Who must approve the position?
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5. The President has a “cabinet,” which is made up of those who will advise the
president. How does someone become a cabinet member?
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6. Who is the person representing Italy in Washington, D.C., and what is his title?
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7. Who is represents the United States in Rome, Italy and what is his title?
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Part C - A Pen Pal Letter From Mario
Read this letter written by a child in Italy, and imagine what it would be like
to spend a day with him. Talk about how his life is similar to yours, and how is it
different? (Reference: Italian Embassy website.)
Buon giorno!
My name is Mario and I live in Sicily, Italy. Italy is a boot-shaped peninsula
that is in the Mediterranean Sea. It is located in southern Europe. My country also
includes the two large islands of Sicily and Sardinia. Something that's really
unusual about Italy is that there are two independent countries inside Italy's
borders. First, there is the tiny Republic of San Marino, which is in north-central
Italy. Then, there is Vatican City, which is located completely within the city of
Rome.
I have two brothers; one is named Salvatore, who is thirteen, and Alfonso,
who is two. I have two sisters Maria, who is eight and Caterina, who is two and she
is Alfonso’s twin sister. I am ten years old. Like most of the people in Italy, my
family is ethnic Italian. Pretty much everyone in my country speaks Italian,
although a few small areas speak German and French.
Another thing you should know about us is that we love to cook - and eat! We
eat our main meal at midday, and it always has a pasta course. Believe it or not, the
type of pasta you eat depends on where you live. In the north they make flat,
ribbon-shaped pasta and serve it with cream sauces. In the south, we make macaroni with a tomato-based sauce. That's my all time favorite! The most popular
meats that we eat are veal and pork. We also love to eat cheese. Usually, wine is
served with every meal except breakfast, but my parents say I'm too young to
drink it.
In Italy, you have to go to elementary or primary school when you are my
age. Primary school is for all children from the age of six to eleven, which lasts
about five years. When I am done with primary school, I must take examinations
to enter a three-year junior high school. I have to attend school six days a week,
from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m., from September until mid-June. We speak Italian
of course, but we also learn how to speak English in school.
The city I live in is Palermo. Palermo is located on the northwest coast of Sicily,
which is an island off the southwest coast of the mainland. The city of Palermo is
known for its citrus groves, and also the statues and monuments throughout the
city. Many of the statues and monuments date back to the 14th and 15th
centuries. There is a very busy port in Palermo that is crowded with passengers
and freight. This port in Palermo provides many jobs. Many people in Palermo work
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for the Government too. Some other industries in Palermo include housing
construction, shipbuilding, as well as manufacturing of food.
One of the big events I love most that happens in Palermo is the Fiera
Internazionale del Mediterraneo which takes place from May through June.
Another big event in Palermo is Festino di S. Rosalia which is from July 10th to July
15th. I love these events because of their wonderful fireworks displays.
Some sports in my country are basketball, soccer, and Formula 1 racing. The
most popular sport is soccer. My favorite sport to play is bocce ball, which is a very
old Italian tradition that my papa taught me. I also enjoy taking my fishing pole and
catching some fish down by the port. Fishing is more of a hobby than a sport to me.
The weather in Palermo is sunnier and less rainy than in most Italian cities. In
Palermo we have more smog than a lot of the other cities in Sicily. In January, the
temperature is usually between 50 and 60 degrees, but it gets very hot in the
summer, (up to 95 degrees) and that is when my family and friends love to go to the
beaches.
I dress pretty similar to people in the West, but there are a few differences
that I have noticed. For example, I noticed that Americans seem to wear their
tennis shoes almost everywhere they go. In Italy we only wear our white tennis
shoes in the gym or on the athletic field. Also I noticed that American woman wear
pants a lot, but not the women here in Italy. We can always spot American tourists
because of what they wear.
Tomorrow, which is Sunday, my family will take our usual passeggiata (family
stroll) through town. There are many wonderful places to visit in Italy. Here are
some pictures of Palermo and other places you'll want to visit around the country.
Seaside of Palermo, Italy.
Market in
Palermo,
Italy
The Royal Cathedral
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Photograph reference: Palermo Images- internet search.
To help you become familiar some of the famous Italian cultural images, match the pictures below to
the following questions, and fill in the missing information. Which picture shows:
_______ 1. the city of _____________________, which has streets of water? The canal boats they
use instead of cars are called “gondolas.”
_______ 2. ruins of the _____________________, which is where the gladiators would fight in the
ancient city of Rome?
_______ 3. the countryside where ______________ are grown to produce famous Italian wine?
_______ 4. the famous ____________________mountain range that covers Northern Italy?
_______ 5. the “Leaning Tower of ___________” that is located in the town by the same name.
It is located in the _______________________________ part of Italy on the map.
_______ 6. a cultural event that many Italian people attend, and is something for which Italy is
known for world-wide?
_______ 7. a ____________________, manufactured by a famous Italian automobile maker.
_______ 8. where the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church resides, called _____________________.
_______ 9. Saint ___________________, the Cathedral of Rome.
_______ 10. ruins of the ancient city of _________________ that was the center of the Roman
Empire in Jesus’ time.
_______ 11. The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and the picture of God creating Adam, which was
painted by the famous Italian painter __________________________.
_______ 12. The famous portrait of __________________________ painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
A
C
B
E
D
F
I
G
H
J
K
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L
Part D - Language
Many Italian words may be familiar to you. Print the English words found in last column next to
the Italian words in the first column. (For translations and to hear how the Italian words are
pronounced, go to: http://www.wordreference.com/definizione/buona
Italian Words
English Words
1
arrivederchi (ahvee-oh-dair-chee)
A airport
2
aereo (i-er-e-oh)
B boy
3
aeroporto (i-er-e-o-pore-toe
C car
4
amore (ah-more-ay)
D Excuse me.
5
buno (bway-no)
E girl
6
buon giorno (bon-jur-no)
F good
7
buona note (boo-a-na)
G good-by
8
calico(cal-e-cho)
H good morning
9
casa (kah-sah)
I
good night
10 ciao (chow)
J
hi or bye
11 come stai (co-mo) (es-sta)
K Hello. (on the telephone)
12 domanai (do-man-ai)
L house
13 gelato (je-lah-toe)
M How are you?
14 grazie (grah-tzee)
N ice-cream
15 macchina (ma-chi-na)
O love
16 pasta (pah-stah)
P no
18 por favor (por-fu-vore)
Q pasta
19 pizza (peet-zah)
R pizza
20 pronto (pron-toe)
S plane
21 ragazza (ra-gah-za)
T please
22 ragazzo (ra-gah-so)
U soccer
23 no (no)
V street
24 scusi (skoo-zee)
W Thank you.
25 si (see)
X tired
26 stanco (stahn-koe)
Y tomorrow
28 via (vee-ah)
Z yes
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Part E - Historic Connections Seen In Washington, D.C.
Go to the Italian Embassy Website “Italy 4 Kids,” and discover many of the ways
Italian immigrants contributed to the beauty of Washington, D.C., by clicking on
the red dots on the map. http://sedi2.esteri.it/sitiweb/AmbWashington/italy4kids/
indc_index.html#.Txrc2PmHztv
1. How did generations of Italians contribute to the building of the National
Cathedral? (Red dot: National Cathedral)
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2. Who represents Italy to the United States Government, and what is his official
title? (Red dot: Italian Embassy)
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3. When you take a ride on the D.C. metro, why will saying a prayer of
thanksgiving for Italian craftsmanship be a good thing to do?
(Red dot: above Dupont Circle.)
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4. Luigi Moretti designed a well known building in Washington, D.C. What was
the building and why was the design important? (Red dot : by John F.
Kennedy Center of Performing Arts on the left side of the map.)
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5. The statues at the ends of the Washington Memorial Bridge symbolize a bond
between Italy and the United States. What do the statues each represent, and
why and when were they given as a gift to the United States by Italy? (Red
dot: Washington Memorial Bridge, below the red dot from # 5.)
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6. The statue of Lincoln in the Lincoln Memorial has ties to 5 Italian brothers.
What was their last name, and why did they become well known. What else
were they asked to do in Washington, D.C.? (Red dot: above the Korean War
Memorial)
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7. A famous American so appreciated the work of an Italian architect that he had
his own home and the buildings at a college he founded built in this architect’s
style. What is the name of the famous American, the name of the Italian
architect, and the names of the places where the buildings were built?
(Two red dots: one by the West Potomac Park and the other above it by the
Corcoran Gallery of Art.)
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8. Thomas Jefferson had a very good friend with whom he would discuss the
meaning of democracy and freedom. A phrase written by his friend is said to
be the basis for one of the most famous sentences in the Declaration of
Independence. What is the name of his friend, and what is the important
sentence? (Red dot: above the Museum of Natural History)
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9. What is the connection between the National Building Museum and
Michelangelo, the famous Italian artist, sculptor, inventor and architect?
(Red dot: above the red dot for number 10.)
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10. Who is depicted by the statue in front of Union Station? (Red dot: to the right
of the red dot for number 11.) _____________________________________
11. The artist who painted a very large canvass in the capitol building did so
during a time when we were at war. Who was the artist, how big was the
canvass, and what war was taking place at the time? (Red dot: by the Capitol
Building at the right of the map under “US 1-Alt.”.)
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13.Italian apprentices helped an American sculptor named Powers to design a
statue of a famous American, which is now in the East wing of the Senate
Building. Who was the famous American depicted by the statue, and how did
they design it so that it would be very sturdy? (Red dot: in the lower right
corner of the map.)
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Part F - Religions of Italy
Although nearly all Italians ( 80%) are Catholics, other religions are also
practiced in the country. Other religions represented are Jehovah’s Witnesses,
Protestants, Buddhists, and new or minor groups of various origins; together these
account for approximately less than two percent of the population, and have about
1,110,300 followers. This statistic does not include the number of non-Catholic
immigrants who reside in Italy, many of whom are of Islamic faith. Still, Roman
Catholics and other Christians remain the majority among immigrants, with
almost 700,000 followers.
The head of the Roman Catholic Church
is Pope Benedict XVI, who was elected in 2005.
A Pope is elected by at least a two-thirds
majority by the College of Cardinals, and holds
this office for life.
During the election process, the College of
Cardinals “conclave” meets in the Sistine
Chapel in the Vatican. Hundreds of people
wait outside in St. Peter’s Square to witness
when white smoke rises out of the Sistine
Chapel’s chimney and the bells of St.
Peter’s Basilica ring out, which is the sign
that a new Pope has been elected. ( Reference: Internet resource.)
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Part G - Italian Cuisine
Italy is known for their wonderful cuisine
(cooking). As you learned from Mario in your pen pal
letter, the different parts of Italy have a variety of cooking styles and use of ingredients.
Your task in this section is to make an “Italian”
meal for your family with the help of your parents or another adult. To find out
what recipes you can use, you may borrow an Italian cook book from the library,
call someone in your family or neighborhood who loves Italian cooking to ask if
they will share some of their favorite recipes with you, ask
for advice from a local Italian restaurant, or search on the
internet. (For example, you can find a variety of recipes at:
http://www.italianfoodsrecipes.com/italiancooking.html
In the space provided below, write what dishes you prepared, who you
invited to enjoy your cooking adventure, and which dishes were your favorite.
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