culture and health care

[Previliaged]

I have to compile a portfolio that identifies the religious and cultural beliefs and practices for the care of a deceased person from the Italian culture, and Iam having significant trouble in finding adequate info, so please if you guys know of any good sites or resouces please enlighten me.

[meownsmile, BSN, RN]

I dont know if there is any specific rituals surrounding the Italian culture, however i do know that historically Italy is steeped in the Catholic/Lutheran religion. You might try that angle.

[sandstormsdust]

I'm not an italian but the FD I want to see was.... my sister worked for him some time ago... Anyway here's what I can tell you.

The Buildings (mousilians {sp????}) to bury people in Cemetarys are from the italian culture dating back to the pre roman era.... as in the bible Jesus was buried in a stone tomb... the italians even today in the North America follow that tradition - except that we have building instead of mountains... They bury there loved ones in Building's (similar to a Morgue) and make nicely designed faces on the "rock" marble that the loved on stays behind.

#2 - in the northern part of italy - near the german/austrian border, churchs are built into the mountian side.

Anyway this one area has a tradition (even today) that at the funeral mass of a loved one they run a horse up the stairs of the church... the horse is completly white in color... and if the horse makes it into the church the soul has gone to heaven if not - well no details needed.

For a matter of interest.. there is a church in town here built by the same italians and the stairs of that church are very steep - apperantly up until the late eighties at this church they would send a horse up the stairs... then the SPCA came to the rescue...

Just to note here.... through out europe - most countrys are made up from principalities... to this day althought the borders are legitimate - traditions from area to area are very different... so you can be talking about thousands of different cultures/ traditions in the same country some of these traditions are more similar to other countrys areas traditions...

LOTS AND LOTS OF LUCK TO YOU.... hope this helps out alittle.

[Previliaged]

Thanks a billion for your help guys, it's quite a difficult topic to get info on, so THANKYOU big time!!!