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In Italian Witchcraft, the word "witch" is said in two ways. Strega is for the female witch and Stregone is for the male witch. The old Italian word for Witchcraft is Stregheria. In 14th Century Italy, a Wise Woman who called herself Aradia brought about a revival of the Old Religion. Because of that, there are three separate traditions, known as Fanarra, Janarra, and Tanarra; The Triad Traditions.
The Fanarra are centered in northern Italy and they are also known as the Keepers of the Earth Mysteries. The other two traditions occupy central Italy. Janarra are the Keepers of the Lunar Mysteries, and the Tanarra are the Keepers of the Stellar Mysteries. The leaders of these traditions are called Grimas. This person must have a working knowledge of the other two Mystery Traditions. Initiates are trained in the Ways of each Tradition, and upon deciding whether to continue toward priesthood or priestesshood, they begin training in the mystery teachings of the other two Traditions.
The Aridian Tradition was originally established in North America as a branch of the Tanarra. The purpose of the Aridian Tradition was to blend the Triad Traditions in an attempt to restore the original tradition that Aradia had revived among the people. The Triad Traditions have little or no Wiccan elements in their ways, but the Aridian Tradition, since it's been exposed to the United States, has adopted quite a few Wiccan elements but still considers themselves to the "spiritual descendants of those who formed the first of Aradia's groves in Italy."
Those from the Aridian Tradition are not that different in their beliefs from the Wiccan beliefs. The acknowledge the polarity of gender as part of the natural order, and, like Wiccans, characterize this as the God and Goddess. The months October through February are considered the God months, where celebrations are performed clad in ritual robes, and the Goddess months are March through September, where everyone celebrates skyclad. The rites are more like drama plays that symbolize the interplay between the forces of Nature. Rituals are focused mainly on fertility and agriculture.
There are many different types of spirits and beings in Italian folklore, most of them known as Folletto, which are beings that travel in the wind and are quite friendly to human, yet they can be mischievous. It's not uncommon for a Folletto to lift up a woman's dress in the wind or knock objects over. They seem to have a particular attraction to sexual situations. The Italian Fata are the spirits of the woods and water. They are known to be beautiful, gentle, and kind.
The Italian Festivals of the seasons are called Treguenda, which means "every three months", and there are 8 Treguendas, 4 major and 4 minor, much like the modern wiccan Sabbats. The Treguendas and the Wiccan correspondences are as follows:
Treguenda :: Sabbat
Shadow Fest :: Samhain
Winter Solstice :: Yule
Lupercus :: Candlemas/Imbolc
Spring Equinox :: Ostara
Tana's Day :: Beltane
Summer Solstice :: Midsummer
Cornucopia :: Lammas
Autumn Equinox :: Mabon
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