Superstition about Nuns

Superstitious Italians try to touch iron immediately after seeing a nun (unlucky), in order to
preserve their good fortune. They may mutter, “Your nun!” at the next person they see, thereby
passing on the bad luck to someone else.

The Sister Act, a modern-day Italian rap group led by Sister Alessandra Luna, is trying to change this
belief. They’ve recorded a 12-track album titled “Your Nun!” featuring the cover song, “Your Nun! Touch Iron.”

Tried to find this song on video to show on here but couldn't find it. Amybody else?

I actually use to go out with a nun. She kept saying nun of this and nun of that.

Well Villa
I lived in Rome so I have seen plenty of nuns passing by. Italians ( at least in Rome ) only figuratively touch Iron ... in reality they scratch their balls ! That is considered another - probably more macho way - to send away bad luck or 'touch iron' - What about women ? ... well I haven't seen women react at all when a nun passes by.

It's the same here - either touching/scratching, or passing the bad luck on - "Tua". I heard a story (I don't know if it is true) that a young man was on a very crowded train when a nun got on. He was desperately trying to reach down, with little success because of the closeness of the other passengers, when the nun noticed and told him he could touch his forehead instead.

Well
Mamma mia! I have never heard of that superstition. What is its origin? How can a nun (pius person?) be said to be unlocky?

Rina, Every culture has superstitions (many of them based in religious tradition), and many of them probably sound crazy to people who aren’t used to them.

Most Americans would never walk under a ladder. Non e vero? Step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back.
Look how the number 13 is avoided in the U.S.

Break a mirror and you'll have 7 years bad luck.

Never open an umbrella inside the home. Athough we all or most do.

Itchy ear, someone's talking about you; itchy nose, you'll kiss a fool; itchy right palm, you'll meet someone new; itchy left palm, money's coming, itchy feet, you're on your way somewhere.

It's bad luck to have a black cat cross your path.

Lots of us try to bring good luck into our lives by:

carrying a rabbit's foot in our pockets
bringing a stick of coal to a friend's home, New Year's day
(probably rooted in Welsh traditions)
putting a penny in our shoe
carrying a piece of jade or tiger's eye

Rina : My guess on the origin of this superstition is that when in the past a nun or a priest would show up at your house door was because someone in the house was very sick or dying.

Most of those come from Britain - including the rabbits foot, although the donating bunny obviously wasn't very lucky The "walking on cracks" is quoted I believe in one of the "Winnie the Pooh" books. Crossing your fingers in most cases is supposed to dispell the bad luck though.

I was taught by nuns many years ago so I do have a bit of a 'thing' about seeing them now. Also my brother was a frato and he met a nun in his hospital (they were both nurses) and they decided that they wanted to be together and got dispensations from Rome to leave their religious order and then married.
This caused quite a sensation in the family, me? I was deleriously happy as my brother had found a woman that loved him!
They married in Liverpool and the tabloids found out and made a bit of a
story about it.....
After ten years of life together what did he do? he upped and died on us aged 49 of a heart attack (exactly same as my dad) so what do I think of nuns? I kind of hate em but I also love one particular one my sister in law Margaret who is a sister that i never had and I love to bits still!!

Hi Markymark, yes I know all those superstitions you mentioned except for the one about the cat.
Here in my neck of the woods for a black cat to cross your path is considered to be very lucky and indeed to actually own a black cat is considered lucky too. I do know however that in Italy black cats are considered to belong to the devil and so are not liked although I understand there has recently been a lot of publicity in Italy to stamp out this belief.

Alassiolady, Like I said I use to go out with a nun but
I really did get tired of her telling me none of this and none of that.